The Power of Talking to Babies and Toddlers for Brain Development

A study led by researchers at the University of East Anglia has found that toddlers who hear more speech on the regular have more efficient-looking neurons. Brain scans showed that their language-processing regions hosted a greater concentration of myelin – the insulating sheath that surrounds neurons and allows them to send messages faster and more efficiently. Although it is unknown whether that extra myelin actually impacts a two-and-a-half-year-old's language abilities, researchers suspect it could have important benefits.