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human brain New research shows that the average human goes through five distinct stages of development during the lifetime, with measurable turning points as we grow, mature, age and decline.
neuroscientist Cambridge University The brains of nearly 4,000 people aged between 0 and 90 were scanned to identify four milestones that mark fundamental changes in the neural connections that make our brains work.
One of the most surprising findings is that the period that scientists call “adolescence” begins around the age of nine, but instead of ending when you reach your twenties, it lasts for more than another decade until you are in your early 30s.
Research published in journal nature communication, Found that our brain is constantly learning and adapting as we absorb new information. However, it is not a smooth journey of growth and consolidation, but rather one marked by flurries of activity – especially in the first half of life.
The five “major eras” identified by the team are:
Childhood – from birth to nine years of age
Adolescence – nine to 32 years
Adulthood – 32 to 66 years
Early aging – 66 to 83 years
Late old age – beyond 83 years
These specific epochs were detected using datasets taken from MRI diffusion scans, which map neural connections in the brain by tracking the movement of water molecules through brain tissue.
“We know that the brain’s wiring is important for our development, but we don’t have a big picture of how and why it changes over our lives,” said Dr Alexa Mousley, a Gates Cambridge scholar who led the research.
“These ages provide important context for what our brains may do best, or be more sensitive to, at different stages of our lives. This may help us understand why some brains develop differently at key points in life, whether that’s learning difficulties in childhood, or dementia in our later years.”
Childhood
During the first age, which spans from birth through infancy and around age nine, our brains are defined by “network consolidation,” the team’s research showed. During this process, the overproduced synapses – connectors between neurons – in the infant’s brain are reduced, with only the more active ones surviving.
By the end of the first age, the brain undergoes a step-change in cognitive ability, but this is accompanied by vulnerability as the risk of mental health disorders also increases after this point, the team said.
adolescence
During adolescence, the brain’s communication networks become increasingly sophisticated, as revealed by brain scans.
This period is marked by faster, smoother communication within specific brain regions and throughout the brain – a change that leads to far stronger cognitive skills.
The team said this process typically isn’t complete until we reach our early thirties.
adulthood
From about the age of 32, the longest period, that of adulthood, begins. The structure of the brain becomes stable compared to previous stages – no major changes will occur for the next thirty years.
The research team said this matches “plateaus in intelligence and personality” based on other studies.
They also found that “dissociation” is more noticeable during this age, as areas of the brain gradually become less strongly connected and more divided.
early aging
“The data show that the gradual reorganization of brain networks ends in the mid-sixties,” Dr. Moussali said. “This is probably related to aging, and connectivity decreases as white matter begins to degenerate.
He said this is a time when people are at increased risk for a variety of health conditions that can affect the brain, such as high blood pressure.
late aging
The final brain structure age begins at approximately 83 years of age.
The team said the defining feature is a “shift from global to local”, as inter-regional brain connectivity declines even further. Meanwhile people are becoming increasingly dependent on a few well-known neural pathways and regions.
Duncan Astle, professor of neuroinformatics at Cambridge, said the team’s study would help understand the different vulnerabilities of the brain at different stages of development and help reduce the risks and treat particular conditions.
He said, “Looking back, many of us feel that there have been different stages in our lives. It turns out that the brain also goes through these ages.”
“Many neurodevelopmental, mental health, and neurological conditions are linked to brain wiring. In fact, differences in brain wiring predict difficulties with attention, language, memory, and a whole range of different behaviors.”
He added: “Understanding that the brain’s structural journey is not a question of steady progress, but of a few major turning points, will help us identify when and how its wiring is sensitive to disruption.”