Editing Synaptogenesis (section)

{{short description|Formation of neuronal junctions in the nervous system}}
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{{About|how synapses are formed|how newly formed synapses are stabilized|Synaptic stabilization}}

'''Synaptogenesis''' is the formation of [[synapse]]s between [[neuron]]s in the [[nervous system]]. Although it occurs throughout a healthy person's [[life]]span, an explosion of synapse formation occurs during early [[neural development in humans|brain development]], known as '''exuberant synaptogenesis'''.<ref name="Huttenlocher 1997">{{cite journal | vauthors = Huttenlocher PR, Dabholkar AS | title = Regional differences in synaptogenesis in human cerebral cortex | journal = The Journal of Comparative Neurology | volume = 387 | issue = 2 | pages = 167–178 | date = October 1997 | pmid = 9336221 | doi = 10.1002/(SICI)1096-9861(19971020)387:2<167::AID-CNE1>3.0.CO;2-Z | doi-access = free }}</ref> Synaptogenesis is particularly important during an individual's [[critical period]], during which there is a certain degree of [[synaptic pruning]] due to competition for [[neurotrophin|neural growth factors]] by neurons and synapses. Processes that are not used, or inhibited during their critical period will fail to develop normally later on in life.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Comery TA, Harris JB, Willems PJ, Oostra BA, Irwin SA, Weiler IJ, Greenough WT | title = Abnormal dendritic spines in fragile X knockout mice: maturation and pruning deficits | journal = Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America | volume = 94 | issue = 10 | pages = 5401–5404 | date = May 1997 | pmid = 9144249 | pmc = 24690 | doi = 10.1073/pnas.94.10.5401 | doi-access = free | bibcode = 1997PNAS...94.5401C }}</ref>{{Explain|date=February 2024}}