A sensitive period refers to a window of time where our brains are most ‘plastic’. The plasticity of the brain refers to its ability to change throughout life and is based on the principle that our brain distributes its resources according to what is most important for the organism. This reorganization of the brain happens…

At birth, humans brains already have around 100 billion neurons, but as we grow, this number increases exponentially. Not only do the number of neurons increase, but so do the number of synapses on each neuron, allowing large numbers of neural connections to form. Sensitive periods are periods that see particularly drastic change in the…

The sensitive period immediately after birth is particularly important for bridging a connection between parent and child. This connection is due to filial imprinting, a type of developmental learning in animals (including humans) that establishes a bond between the newborn and figures consistently nearby, which are usually their parents. This learning is essential for parent-child…

The sensitive period is likewise important for establishing the type of attachment the infant has to its caregiver. The importance of early attachment began with studies by John Bowlby, who found that babies raised in orphanages and deprived of stable emotional and physical contact were emotionally remote and listless – signs of insecure or avoidant…

Sensitive periods see extraordinary change in the brain and learning during these periods shapes individuals’ later relationships and behavior. However, this learning isn’t necessarily the be-all-end-all; individuals who miss out on important learning during these times can still gain it over time, all due to the plasticity of the brain! By Andrea and Devki