Use them or lose them

Your brain is unique - its connections are the result of everything you learnt and experienced as a child. After the age of about 10 or 11, the circuits in your brain are drastically pruned. You get rid of any connections that aren't used, while the ones that remain are more powerful and efficient. Never again will your brain be able to master so many new skills so easily.

After the age of 10 or 11 you get rid of any neurone connections that aren't used, so the rest can become more powerful and efficient. Corbis