Memory Makes the Brain: The Biological Machinery that Uses Experiences to Shape Individual Brains

The Memory Makes the Brain book provides a comprehensive overview of the development of the young brain after birth, including the emergence of cognitive capacities, mind, and individuality.

The book explores the dramatic process of synaptic pruning, where surplus synapses are eliminated in the maturing brain, discovered by pediatric neurologist Peter Huttenlocher in the 1970's at the University of Chicago.

Christian Hansel offers a unique perspective on brain adaptation and plasticity throughout lifetime, weaving in personal accounts and memories.

The book also delves into how both maturation and adult synaptic plasticity are deregulated in autism, tracing back autism-typical behavioral abnormalities to synaptopathies.

This informative and insightful book is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the complex development of the brain and its impact on cognitive function.