A recent study, as reported by the Guardian, sheds light on how the human brain works five “eras” regarding its development. The research, based on brain scans of nearly 4,000 people aged between one and 90, maps neural connections and their evolution throughout our lives.
This revealed five stages of human brain development, divided into four important “turning points” where brain organization follows different trajectories: around ages 9, 32, 66 and 83 years.
Prof’s opinion astle
Prof Duncan Astle, neuroinformatics researcher at the University of Cambridge and senior author of the study, said: «Looking back, many of us feel that our lives were marked by distinct phases. Apparently, the brain also goes through these eras. Understanding that the brain’s structural pathways are not a continuous progression, but rather one of several major turning points, will help us identify when and how its networks are vulnerable to disruption.».
Brain “phases”.
Research reveals that a child’s growth and development period occurs from birth to the age of nine, when the child’s growth and development stage begins.adolescencea period that on average lasts up to 32 years. By age 30, the brain’s neural wiring transitions to adult modeas well as the longest era, lasting more than three decades. The third brain turning point occurs around the age of 66, namely the phase “premature aging” brain architecture. Finally“late aging” it manifests itself around the age of 83 years.
Scientists have measured the use of brain organization 12 different sizesincluding the efficiency of wiring, the degree of compartmentalization, and whether the brain relies heavily on a central hub or instead has a broader network of connectivity. From childhood to adolescence, our brains are characterized by “network consolidation”, as the number of synapses, as well as connections between neurons, in the newborn’s brain decreases, while the most active ones remain. During this period, research finds that the efficiency of brain tissue decreases. Meanwhile, the volume of gray and white matter increases rapidly, so that cortical thickness reaches its peak and the cortical folds, namely the characteristic protrusions on the surface of the brain, stabilize.
In the second “age” of the brain, the volume of white matter continues to increase, so that the organization of the brain’s communication network is increasingly refined. This era is characterized by increased efficiency of connections throughout the brain, which correlates with improved cognitive performance. The epoch is determined by whether the brain maintains a constant developmental trend over a long period, rather than remaining in a fixed state over time.
Alexa Mousley’s words
Alexa MousleyThe scientist who led the study said: «We are certainly not saying that people in their late 30s will behave like teenagers, or that their brains will resemble teenagers. That’s precisely the model for change.”
Around age 32, the strongest overall change in trajectory was observed. Life events such as parenthood may play a role in some of the observed changes, although research has not explicitly tested this. “We know that the brain of women who give birth changes afterward,” Mousley said. “It is reasonable to assume that there may be a connection between these achievements and what happens in the brain.”
Starting at age 32, brain architecture begins to stabilize from previous stages, corresponding to a “plateau of intelligence and personality” based on other research. Brain regions also become more compartmentalized. The final two turning points are determined by decreased brain connectivity, which is thought to be related to aging and white matter degeneration in the brain.
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
