Describe 2 important processes that occur in the brain during development.

1. Myelination, which occurs when cells grow around neurons to give them structural support, and a fatty coating of myelin, called the myelin sheath, develops to insulate axons and enable them to conduct electrical charges quickly and efficiently. 2. Synaptic pruning, which is the elimination of synapses that are infrequently used. The brain recognises patterns in the environment and reorganises physically, keeping the synaptic connection that are used and discarding those that aren't. Cognitive development involves both creating and eliminating these synaptic connections (Siegel, 2012).