Psychology of Music Test 1 Practice

Pruning in neural development refers to the elimination of unused neural connections to streamline brain networks. Early on the brain forms many more synapses than it ultimately needs, and through experience and activity those connections that are rarely used are weakened and removed, while frequently activated pathways are preserved and refined. This makes neural processing more efficient and reduces energy costs. It’s not about forming new connections (synaptogenesis), generating new neurons (neurogenesis), or strengthening all connections indiscriminately; pruning selectively removes the underused ones to tune circuits to the organism’s environment.