Development of human brain functions

Aspects of postnatal human brain development are reviewed. The development of brain function has commonly been characterized in terms of the unfolding of a maturational sequence. In contrast, we argue that postnatal functional brain development occurs through a dynamic process of emerging patterns of interactions between different brain regions. Some of these processes may also be characteristic of perceptual and motor skill learning in adults. Possible implications of these views for our understanding of developmental disorders are raised.