# Transient Exuberance & Pruning --- **Transient exuberance** and **pruning** are two phenomenon that occur in [[infant|infants]] where the number of neurons, dendrites, axons and synapses increase rapidly, and those that are unused dwindle away, which makes the brain much more efficient. >[!abstract] That's a lot! >There is something loke 40,000 **new synapses** being formed **every second** in an infant's brain. That doesn't seem possible! **Transient exuberance** occurs during the first two years, and is much like a potter much put a big chunk of clay in front of them, in order to sculpt the form they desire. In this way, the development of the brain is in some ways specific to the culture (be it the larger, national culture, or even the family culture) that it's brought up in. **Pruning** is essential for doing away with unused connections. Without it, the brain becomes too full and dense. This is the case with those who are afflicted by **fragile X syndrome**, and it makes thinking very difficult. Those with an [[autism spectrum disorder]] are also affected by too many connections in their brains, making neurons less efficient, which makes some sights and sounds overwhelming,. ___