During each of these phases, our brains show markedly different characteristics in brain architecture, according to the new findings.
As we age, the human brain rewires itself. The process happens in distinct phases, or “epochs,” according to new research, as the structure of our neural networks changes and our brains reconfigure how we think and process information.
For the first time, scientists say they’ve identified four distinct turning points between those phases in an average brain: at ages 9, 32, 66 and 83. During each epoch between those years, our brains show markedly different characteristics in brain architecture, they say.
The findings, published Tuesday in the journal Nature Communications, suggest that human cognition does not simply increase with age until a peak, then decline. In fact, the phase from ages 9 to 32 is the only time in life when our neural networks are becoming increasingly efficient, according to the research.
During the adulthood phase, from 32 to 66, the average person’s brain architecture essentially stabilizes without major changes, at a time when researchers think people are generally plateauing in intelligence and personality.
Reading this wishing I did everything I could to learn and experience new things before the age of 32. I guess I’m in the plateau phase, but it was not until now that I could afford these priorities and not just focusing on work and survival. Oh well, c’est la vie. I’ll certainly keep trying.😁
None of this is written in stone. The study even noted the different numbers of subjects that seemed to correspond with each phase, and it wasn’t universal.
It seems to me that just being aware that there is a natural plateau stage, means that you could alter it, delay it, extend it, ignore it, defy it, etc. If you want to learn new stuff, learn it, don’t let some study tell you that you can’t.
I took up the guitar during the pandemic quarantine at 60 years old, and now I’ve progressed to a decent intermediate level, and I’m still growing.
So much this^^. The human brain is massively flexible, and always on the lookout for more.
Studies are a snapshot of a certain group of ppl. While helpful and informative, one study can’t and shouldn’t define you. Maybe help better understand yourself, at most:)