What Are the Key Characteristics of an Immature Nervous System?
An immature nervous system in infants and young children is characterized by ongoing myelination, synaptic pruning, and neurogenesis. Myelination, the process of forming a protective sheath around nerve fibers, enhances the speed and efficiency of nerve impulse transmission. Synaptic pruning, on the other hand, is the brain's way of removing unnecessary neuronal structures to improve efficiency. Neurogenesis, the formation of new neurons, is most active during the initial years of life, playing a crucial role in cognitive and motor development.
