Connect or reject: Extensive rewiring builds binocular vision in the brain

During a critical period of visual development in mice, MIT researchers observed extensive rewiring of neural connections in the visual cortex. Only 40% of initial synaptic connections survived over 10 days, with neurons refining their binocular vision capabilities. Spines that were more active and responded to the same orientation as the neuron's soma were more likely to survive, supporting a "use it or lose it" hypothesis for neural development.