LONDON (IT BOLTWISE) – The question of when we actually grow up gets a surprising answer in a new study from the University of Cambridge. Contrary to popular belief that the brain is fully developed by age 25, research shows that the brain’s maturation period continues into the early 30s. This realization could be reassuring to many who don’t feel fully grown up in their late 20s.
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The idea that we are fully grown by the age of 25 is deeply rooted in our society. It has long been thought that the brain, particularly the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for decision-making and impulse control, reaches full maturity at this point. But a new study from the University of Cambridge questions this assumption. The researchers examined the brains of around 4,000 people aged zero to 90 and found that the brain’s adolescence phase lasts until the early 30s.
This finding is based on analysis of brain scans that show that neural connectivity only switches to so-called ‘adult mode’ in the early 30s. This means that the structural stability and functional maturity of the brain are only achieved at this point. The study, published in the prestigious journal Nature Communications, identifies five main phases of brain development, marked by four key turning points.
The first turning point occurs at age nine, when the brain transitions from childhood to adolescence. This phase lasts on average until the age of 32. Afterwards, the brain architecture stabilizes and remains relatively unchanged for three decades. Another turning point around age 66 marks the start of early aging, while late brain aging begins around age 83.
These research findings have far-reaching implications for our understanding of maturity and development. They offer a new perspective not only on growing up, but also on the way we view our brain’s capabilities and vulnerabilities at different stages of life. Dr. Alexa Mousley, who led the study, emphasizes that these findings provide important context for our brain’s strengths and weaknesses at different stages of life.
Although the stabilization of brain architecture in our early 30s does not mean that we suddenly become smarter or more logical, it does show that our cognitive abilities and personality traits become more solidified during this time. This could explain why it is often difficult to convince older generations of new ideas because their neural patterns have already become entrenched.
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