Brain Development: Conception to 2 Years Old

By milesn

  • Conception

    Baby is conceived

  • Proliferation begins

    Child's brain cells begin to form. Each given a general genetic code/makeup, cells begin to break off and multiply.

  • Differentiation begins

    Child begins to form synaptic connects between neurons. This continues through all developmental years (into adolescence)

  • Migration begins (4 months after conception)

    Cells begin to move to their "final" destination. New patterns/behaviors/genetic code are added to old ones complimentarily

  • Myelination begins

    Sheaths form around nerves for better conduction

  • Rapid development of neurons - brain triples in size

  • Child is born - Brain is 25% of adult size

  • Cellular Competiton

    Overproduction of brain cells causes for the removal of synapses in the brain

  • Recognition and memory improves significantly

  • Cerebellum triples in size - Growth in motor skills

  • Age 1 - Brain is 50% of Adult Size

  • Rapid increase in myelination

    Brain rapidly forms myelin sheaths around nerves for better conduction

  • High-order cognitive abilities form

    Child gains self-awareness, starts using personal pronouns

  • Vocabulary explosion

    Child gains rapid growth of vocabulary and language skills

  • Synaptic density is reduced by half

  • Myelination ends

  • Age 2 - Brain is 60-50% of adult size