During which life stage is plasticity most prominent?

Plasticity refers to the brain's ability to change and adapt in response to experience and learning. This capacity for change is most prominent during childhood. During this life stage, the brain is rapidly developing, and neural connections are being formed at an accelerated rate. Children are particularly receptive to learning and can easily acquire new skills, languages, and behaviors, which is a direct reflection of the high levels of plasticity.

In contrast, while adolescence also shows significant plasticity as the brain continues to develop and undergoes changes related to hormonal and social influences, it does not quite reach the same levels as during childhood. Adulthood exhibits more stable brain patterns with less dramatic plasticity, and in old age, the potential for plasticity tends to decrease further, though it is not entirely absent. Consequently, childhood is recognized as the critical period for plasticity, where the foundations for learning and adaptability are established.