The Timing and Quality of Early Experiences Combine to Shape Brain Architecture

Brain architecture provides the foundation for all future learning, behavior, and health. It develops through the interaction of a child’s genes and early experiences, relationships, and environment. This working paper from the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child explains key scientific advances in understanding why the early years matter for brain development, as well as the implications of those findings for policy.

Suggested citation: National Scientific Council on the Developing Child (2007). The Timing and Quality of Early Experiences Combine to Shape Brain Architecture: Working Paper No. 5. Retrieved from www.developingchild.harvard.edu.