Linking

The brain of a newborn infant has over 100 billion neurons. This represents more brain cells than there are stars in the Milky Way. These brain cells grow and die in the first few decades, but the brain retains roughly the same number of cells. Without these cells, the brain is not a brain.

In the formative years of a child’s life, intelligence is formed by the number of connections or links between the cells. These links are called the synapses – synaptic connections.

The first fifteen years are critical for the development of the brain. From the first breath of an infant, these neurons send out thousands of signals which are trying to talk to each other. When there is communication between these synaptic connections, a link is formed.

By a child’s third birthday, about 15,000 links have been formed for EACH of the 100 billion neurons. During the next 5-10 years, the brain refines and focuses these connections on the most frequently used links. These strong synaptic connections increase in strength and the weaker ones wither away. This is very similar to our highway system. In essence, the stronger links become freeways. The least traveled links become country roads with weeds springing up through the cracks in the roads, and eventually these country roads disappear because there is no traffic.

In humans, links that receive continuous stimulation become the core of a person’s talents and strengths.