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.
I think one big problem of researches like this is you can't really separate one's age from socioeconomic environment one has lived through, which will have a big effect on one's health, etc. Especially true if all the samples come from, say, developed Western countries.
There’s entire branches of research statistics dedicated to doing what you just dismissed as impossibl
These numbers are not literal. It's not like you wake up at the age of 32 and the ink is finally dry. Some people become "adults" far earlier. Others are far more mentally resilient after their 70s, or more prone to dependency earlier on.
Environment, socio-economics (which dictate diet, health and mental state +++more), etc., and genetics all play roles. The end of the epoch or onset of another is likely to be cross-faded like a musical track.
Never did I say impossible in anything I wrote, implied or otherwise. Learn to read.
I was confused by their response too, but now it looks like they just accidentally clicked the reply button on the wrong comment.
I kinda got that feeling later on as well after he deleted thru comment. It made no sense. Oh well.