New Delhi: The results of a study conducted by a team of researchers at the University of Cambridge could dramatically alter our understanding of the human brain—and the structure of life itself.
A group of scientists have found that throughout life, the human brain goes through five phases, demarcated by age. And after the age of nine, the next “turning point” is at age 32.
Essentially, the adolescent phase lasts from nine to the early thirties—which is when the brain “peaks.”
At this time, according to a report of the study in the BBC, the brain goes through a period of “ruthless efficiency.” This is the only phase in which the web of neurons are working toward efficiency.
This time is also significant as it is when mental disorders are most likely to take root. The findings of the study could also play a role in determining and tracking the origins of mental illnesses and multiple other neurological disorders.
“Many neurodevelopmental, mental health and neurological conditions are linked to the way the brain is wired. Indeed, differences in brain wiring predict difficulties with attention, language, memory, and a whole host of different behaviours,” Duncan Astle, a professor of neuroinformatics at the University of Cambridge has been quoted as saying by the BBC.
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Brains of the West
The study, crucial as it may be, has a limited scope. These theories are only applicable to countries of the West—the US and the UK.
“The transition to adulthood is influenced by cultural, historical, and social factors, making it context-dependent rather than a purely biological shift,” says the study, which was published in Nature Communications. “Our findings suggest that in Western countries (i.e., the United Kingdom and United States of America), adolescent topological development extends to around 32 years old, before brain networks begin a new trajectory of topological development.”
In the Western world, 32 is understood to be the “strongest” turning point of the lifespan. It is the beginning of adulthood. White matter volume hits its peak at 29, and other metrics are also magnified. After this, the longest chapter begins—what is commonly categorised as adulthood.
“After age 32, the longest epoch begins, covering three decades of adulthood until age 66. Compared to rapid maturation in earlier life, changes in network architecture slow during this period which is consistent with our results that there are no major topological turning points until the 60s,” says the study.
What the study highlights is that there is no clear-cut, linear pathway that the brain follows. It’s constantly in-flux, undergoing various changes.
“The brain rewires across the lifespan. It’s always strengthening and weakening connections and it’s not one steady pattern – there are fluctuations and phases of brain rewiring,” Alexa Mousley, lead author of the research, told the BBC.
Another factor to note is that the study did not look at men and women separately. Different brain trajectories could kick in, such as through menopause.
(Edited by Theres Sudeep)