Khaberni - Our ideas, tastes, and abilities to innovate and create shape up during different life stages, and scientists have identified specific phases for the development of the brain's structure from childhood to old age. A research team in Britain has found that the brain completely changes its neural connections five times over a human's lifespan, resulting in expected changes during different age stages.
According to the study published in the scientific journal "Nature Communications", the turning points in the brain's neural network occur on average at ages 9, 32, 66, and 83 years, and are accompanied by differences in the way we think as we age.
Researcher Alexa Mosley from the University of Cambridge, UK, says, "These stages provide important evidence regarding the best tasks the brain can handle at different ages, and when the brain is at its weakest. They also help us understand why minds develop differently at crucial life stages, such as learning difficulties in children or dementia in older adults."
In the course of the study, the research team analyzed databases involving about 3,800 people up to 90 years old who do not suffer from neurological diseases, and used magnetic resonance imaging to map the brain's neural connections by tracking the movement of water molecules within brain tissue. The researchers stated, "Through this technique, we identified four topological turning points over a lifetime, occurring roughly at ages 9, 32, 66, and 83."
Each of the four age brackets is characterized by the beginning of a new era of development accompanied by age-related changes in the brain's structure, and according to the study, the longest of these stages is adulthood, lasting more than three decades.
From Infancy to Childhood.. Continuous Building
In the first stage, which starts from the moment of birth until the age of nine, the rate of forming synaptic points in the infant's brain decreases, retaining the most active connections between neurons. The first turning point occurs at the age of 9 and is accompanied by a sudden change in cognitive functions, and an increased risk of mental disorders, according to the scientists.
Adolescence and the Beginning of Adulthood.. Peak Efficiency
In the age bracket from 9 to 32 years, the human brain enters its second stage, where its energies truly explode, as reported by the research team, and the network of neural connections within the brain is increasingly honed. Mosley states that adolescence is the only period in life where neural efficiency increases.
The Adult Mind.. Three Decades of Stability
The research team says that the human brain reaches its peak performance in the early thirties, representing the most significant turning point in our lives. Mosley notes, "At around age 32, we observe the greatest change in neural connections and the most crucial change in the evolutionary process compared to other turning points."
The exact timing of this stage varies from person to person, partly depending on cultural, historical, and social factors. Compared to previous stages, the brain's structure during this phase is stable, and this condition persists for about three decades. The researchers mention that this stage is characterized by stability in high intelligence and personality traits.
Mid-Sixties.. The Beginning of Early Old Age
At approximately age 66, the least apparent turning point in the brain occurs and does not come with drastic changes, as the gradual restructuring of the brain's networks reaches its peak. Mosley states, "At this age, a person is more prone to health issues affecting the brain such as high blood pressure."
Late Old Age.. The Final Developmental Stage
The final turning point occurs around age 83 when the human brain reaches the stage of late old age. Neural networks begin to decline. Given that there are no participants over the age of 90, the study is limited to this age stage. The research team hopes that future studies will include larger samples and test the differences between genders.
Duncan Astell, head of the study team from the University of Cambridge, says, "If we understand that the structural development of the brain is not a steady process but several key turning points, it will help us recognize when and how the process of neural connection in the brain is prone to disruption."
