Which of the following best describes the role of synaptic pruning in brain development, particularly during infancy and adolescence?

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Question restated: Which of the following best describes the role of synaptic pruning in brain development, particularly during infancy and adolescence?

Option A: 'Synaptic pruning ensures that all neurons formed in early development are preserved, strengthening overall brain capacity by maximizing the number of connections.' This is a misconception. Synaptic pruning does not preserve all neurons or maximize the total number of connections. Instead, it selectively eliminates less active or weaker synapses to refine neural networks, reducing redundancy and optimizing efficiency. So this statement overstates preservation and mischaracterizes the purpose of pruning.

Option B: 'Synaptic pruning is the process by which unused or weakly stimulated neurons and synapses are eliminated, allowing the brain to become more efficient and specialized over time.' This captures the core idea of pruning: activity-dependent elimination of underused connections, leading to more efficient and specialized circuitry as development proceeds through infancy and adolescence. It aligns with consensus in neuroscience about experience-expectant and experience-dependent refinement.

Option C: 'Synaptic pruning eliminates neurons and synapses that receive the most stimulation, making room for new neural growth during adulthood.' This reverses the true pattern. Synaptic pruning preferentially removes weaker or less active connections, not the most stimulated ones, and it is most prominent during early development and adolescence rather than representing a simple crowding-out of highly active synapses in adulthood. Thus this option misstates both the targeting and the timing.

Option D: 'Synaptic pruning occurs only in early childhood and stops by adolescence, once executive functions are fully developed in the prefrontal cortex.' This is inaccurate because pruning continues across adolescence, a period of ongoing refinement of prefrontal circuits and executive functions. It is not confined to early childhood, and development is not complete by adolescence in most domains. This option incorrectly limits the temporal scope of pruning.

Overall, Option B presents the accurate description of synaptic pruning: it removes underused synapses to enhance efficiency and specialization, with prominent activity during infancy and adolescence, reflecting experience-driven refinement.

PSYC20008_2025_SM1 Exam: Developmental Psychology (PSYC20008_2025_SM1)- Requires Respondus LockDown Browser

Which of the following best describes the role of synaptic pruning in brain development, particularly during infancy and adolescence?

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