Dr. Curtis Cripe Teaches Early Brain Development

Dr. Curtis Cripe: Brain Development from Infancy to Toddlerhood

A tremendous development period occurs in a child's brain even before they're born to the age of three. According to Dr. Curtis Cripe, head of research and development at NTL Group, this process produces over a million neural connections every second. This development is influenced by numerous factors, from the child's relationships to the environment.

The human brain is truly a remarkable thing. It is constantly growing and developing from birth, adapting to the world around us. In fact, at birth, a child's brain already has about all the neurons it will ever possess. It's astonishing to think about how much growth and potential is already contained within that tiny, delicate organ.

But perhaps even more amazing is that the brain doubles in size during the first year of life. By age three, it will have reached 80 percent of its adult volume. This rapid growth and development in such a short time is a testament to the incredible resilience and capacity for learning that the human brain possesses.

Synapses, the brain's communication specialists, are formed during these years faster than at any other time. At age two or three, the number of synapses in the brain would be double that in adulthood.

Dr. Curtis Cripe explains that genes and external elements can heavily influence brain development. For example, genes fuel mass synapse formation as the environment fine-tunes the brain and assists in making decisions about the pathways to keep and dispose of.

Have you ever wondered why some skills and ideas are easier to grasp than others? The answer lies in our brains and how our synapses work. It turns out that the more we hear or practice something, the stronger the connections in our brains become. That is why children can rapidly learn new skills, such as walking and language.

Their brains are like sponges, soaking up everything they hear and experience, building stronger and stronger neural pathways. So if you want to get better at something, whether playing an instrument or learning a new language, the key is to practice, practice, practice. By doing so, you'll be strengthening those synaptic connections in your brain and making it easier and easier to master the skill at hand.

Because this is a period for rapidly creating and pruning out synapses, it is also a critical learning time. Dr. Curtis Cripe explains that a baby's exposure and practice must be constant to develop lasting skills such as a second language.

An enriched environment for brain development can be supported through several things. These include social interaction, a healthy diet, physical activity, new experiences, and avoiding toxic situations. 

Dr. Curtis Cripe is the head of research and development at the NTL Group. He and his team use neuroengineering technology to treat several health issues, including head injury (TBI), depression, addiction, memory disorders, anxiety, and neurodevelopmental delays in children with learning disorders. Read more of his insights here.