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How many synapses does a typical cerebral cortex neuron have at birth?
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neuroplasticity
The fundamental cell of the nervous system is the neuron. Neurons in a human brain are shown here.
At birth, each neuron in the cerebral cortex has approximately 2,500 synapses.1
This number increases significantly during early development, reaching about 15,000 synapses per neuron by the time a child is two or three years old. These connections are later refined through a process of "pruning," where synapses not reinforced by sensory stimulation are weakened or eliminated, allowing for the development of more efficient neural pathways.1