Our preferences, resilience and inventiveness are all shaped by our age. Scientists have clearly defined distinct stages of development in the brain structure from childhood to old age. Check out what is ahead, in terms of your development, efficiency and stability. Cambridge (dpa) - Our brains rewire themselves completely five times over the course of our lifetimes, says a research team, whose insights suggest changes we can expect in these different phases of our lives. The turning points in neural networking occur at an average age of around 9, 32, 66 and 83, they say. The rewiring is accompanied by different ways of thinking as we grow, mature and age, says the study published in the journal Nature Communications. "These phases provide important clues as to what our brain is best suited for at different stages of life or when it is most vulnerable," says Alexa Mousley from the University of Cambridge. "They help us understand why some brains develop differently at important points in life, for example in the form of learning difficulties in children or dementia in old age." The team evaluated around 3,800 data sets from people up to 90 years old with no known neurological diseases for the study. They used MRI diffusion scans, which map neural connections by tracking the movement of water molecules through brain tissue. "From this, we identified four important topological turning points in the course of life – at around the ages of 9, 32, 66 and 83," says the research group in the study. Each of these age groups marks the beginning of a new era in development, accompanied by characteristic age-related changes in the structure of the brain. According to the study, the longest phase is adulthood, which lasts more than three decades. From infant to child: Ongoing building site In the first phase, from birth to around the age of nine, the multitude of synapses overproduced in a baby's brain is reduced, the researchers say. The more actively used connections between neurons are retained. The first turning point at around the age of nine is accompanied by a sudden change in cognitive abilities, but also by an increased risk of mental disorders, say the scientists. Adolescence and early adulthood: Peak efficiency Between the ages of about 9 and 32, the brain enters its second phase – and really takes off. The organization of the brain's communication networks becomes increasingly refined, the team says. This is characterized by rapid communication throughout the brain, combined with improved cognitive performance. Adolescence is the only phase in life in which neural efficiency increases, says Mousley. The adult brain – three decades of stability On average, the research team says the brain reaches its maximum performance in our early 30s, marking the most significant turning point in our whole lifespan. "At around the age of 32, we observe the greatest changes in wiring and the greatest overall shift in development compared to all other turning points," says Mousley. The exact timing varies and depends partly on cultural, historical and social factors. Compared to earlier phases, the brain's architecture stabilizes – and remains so for around three decades. There is a plateau in terms of intelligence and personality, the researchers say. Mid-sixties: early ageing begins At around 66 years of age, the least pronounced turning point without major structural changes occurs: in the mid-sixties, a gradual restructuring of the brain networks reaches its peak. "At this age, people are at increased risk for a variety of health problems that can affect the brain, such as high blood pressure," says Mousley. Late ageing – the final stage of development The final turning point occurs at around 83 years of age, when the human brain enters the late ageing phase, the analysis says. Networking continues to decline. As there were no study participants over the age of 90, the study period only extended to this age. The team hopes that future studies will include larger samples and examine gender-specific differences. "Understanding that the structural development of the brain is not a matter of steady progress, but rather a matter of a few important turning points, will help us recognise when and how its wiring is vulnerable to disruption," says lead author Duncan Astle of the University of Cambridge. The following information is not intended for publication dpa fm zlw kll xxde arw (The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)
