Early Brain Development

OT Dude Academy’s Free NBCOT® Exam Prep Course Normal Development Early Brain Development

Early Brain Development1 2 

  • Brain development begins about 2 weeks after conception.
  • Although the process is largely under genetic control, the environment can play a role, e.g., alcohol exposure.
  • Over the remaining weeks of gestation, primitive cells differentiate into specialized cells with distinctive functions.
  • The developing embryo forms the neural plate which creates the neural tube (the first formation of the central nervous system with an autonomic nervous system).
  • Neurons migrate to locations within the developing brain to serve specific roles such as the motor cortex and auditory cortex.
  • New neurons, with their axons and dendrites, also begin to form new synapses during neuronal proliferation – 5-25 weeks of gestation.
  • A period of systemic pruning and rapid elimination of neurons and synapses occurs in sequence to ensure normal intellectual and socio-emotional development.
    • Schizophrenia is associated with abnormal synaptic pruning during adolescent development.
  • Some neurons also myelinate to improve insulation and increase the speed and efficiency of neuronal communication.
    • Regions in certain areas are myelinated earlier (e.g., sensory and motor areas) than others (e.g., the prefrontal cortex in adolescence).3 4 
  • The tube closes and becomes the forebrain, diencephalon, and basal ganglia.
  • Other cells become the midbrain and hindbrain which consists of the medulla oblongata, pons, and cerebellum.
  • Lateralization to specialize the brain into dominance for each side and specific functions, e.g., left hemisphere for language5 6 7 8 9 
  • The remaining cells give rise to the spinal cord.
  • Sensation and perceptual systems are fully developed by kindergarten age, but memory, decision-making, and emotion continue to develop.
  • Synaptic pruning and myelination are responsible for improved motor precision and speed.
  • Synaptic reorganization is likely the cause of improved speech perception and face recognition.
  • During this crucial time of neuroplasticity which persists into childhood, the central nervous system is susceptible to disturbances or deficiencies resulting in functional changes and developmental disabilities.
  • The foundations of sensory and perceptual systems are crucial for language, social, and emotional development.
  • Overall, experiences in early childhood can affect the development of the brain’s anatomy and physiology in a way that later experiences do not.
  1. Tierney, A. L., & Nelson III, C. A. (2009). Brain development and the role of experience in the early years. Zero to three, 30(2), 9.[↩]
  2. Committee on the Science of Children Birth to Age 8: Deepening and Broadening the Foundation for Success; Board on Children, Youth, and Families; Institute of Medicine; National Research Council; Allen LR, Kelly BB, editors. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8: A Unifying Foundation. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2015 Jul 23. 4, Child Development and Early Learning. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK310550/[↩]
  3. Nelson CA, de Haan M, Thomas KM. Neural bases of cognitive development. In: Damon W, Lerner R, Kuhn D, Siegler R, editors. Handbook of Child Psychology. Vol. 2. John Wiley & Sons; New Jersey: 2006. pp. 3–57.[↩]
  4. Nelson CA, Jeste S. Neurobiological perspectives on developmental psychopathology. In: Rutter M, Bishop D, Pine D, Scott S, Stevenson J, Taylor E, et al., editors. Textbook on Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 5th ed Blackwell Publishing; London: 2008. pp. x–y.[↩]
  5. De Pisapia N, Serra M, Rigo P, Jager J, Papinutto N, Esposito G, Venuti P, Bornstein MH. Interpersonal competence in young adulthood and right laterality in white matter. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience. 2014;26(6):1257–1265.[↩]
  6. Decety J, Lamm C. The role of the right temporoparietal junction in social interaction: How low-level computational processes contribute to meta-cognition. Neuroscientist. 2007;13(6):580–593.[↩]
  7. Hecht D. Cerebral lateralization of pro- and anti-social tendencies. Experimental Neurobiology. 2014;23(1):1–27.[↩]
  8. Schore AN. The right brain is dominant in psychotherapy. Psychotherapy (Chicago, Illinois). 2014;51(3):388–397.[↩]
  9. Semrud-Clikeman M, Goldenring Fine J, Zhu DC. The role of the right hemisphere for processing of social interactions in normal adults using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Neuropsychobiology. 2011;64(1):47–51.[↩]
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