The human brain matures and ages alongside its owner—this is no secret. However, only recently did a team of British scientists manage to identify five stages through which the brain’s structure passes during a person’s lifetime. The portal popsci.com explained the ages at which they occur and their characteristics.
Age 9 — From Infant to Child
From birth to early childhood, the human brain is defined by network consolidation. The connectors between neurons (synapses), which were too numerous in the infant’s brain, gradually die off. The most active synapses survive, and in turn, give the brain its early architecture.
Synapse chains throughout the brain reorganize in the same manner from birth until about age 9. Meanwhile, the brain’s gray and white matter begin to rapidly increase in volume. Upon reaching nine years old, the brain’s cognitive abilities expand, but concurrently, the risk of mental disorders rises.
Age 32 — Formation of the Adult Brain
Around age 30, the brain’s neural “wiring” switches to an adult mode. White matter continues to gain volume, making the brain’s communication chains more intricate. These alterations maintain a high level of cognitive capabilities, which peak in the early thirties—a “topological turning point” in the brain’s life cycle.
By age 32, most synaptic changes and the most noticeable shift in brain communication chains have occurred. Additionally, the brain becomes most stable compared to preceding phases—no major alterations will happen in the next 30 years of life. A person’s intelligence and character reach a kind of plateau.
Age 66 — Onset of Early Aging
By the mid-sixties, the initial signs of the aging phase appear. No serious shifts in brain structure take place, but changes in neural patterns emerge. Communication between synapses declines, and white matter deteriorates. It is at this age that people face an increased risk of diseases affecting the brain, such as hypertension.
Age 83 — Late Aging
The final turning point arrives around age 83. Data on this concluding phase are much scarcer, but generally, the brain structure shifts from global to local. Communication chains worsen even further, forcing the brain to rely on specific regions while others diminish.
About the Author
