Brain Development Extends into Early Adulthood, Study Finds
LONDON - A new study from the University of Cambridge reveals the human brain continues developing well into early adulthood, with a key phase lasting until the age of 32. Challenging conventional views of adolescence ending sooner, researchers have identified distinct structural shifts throughout life, impacting cognitive skills and vulnerability to mental health conditions.
The research, lead by Professor Duncan Astle of Cambridge’s neuroinformatics department, details how brain connectivity changes across the lifespan. from birth to around age nine, interaction between different brain regions becomes less efficient, requiring more effort for information transfer – likened to increasingly convoluted routes within a city. Simultaneously, within those regions, specialized tasks become more refined through stronger neuronal connections, a process called local segregation.
A important shift occurs at age nine, coinciding with improved cognitive abilities but also increased susceptibility to mental health disorders. Between ages nine and 32, connections between separate brain regions regain efficiency, marking what researchers describe as a “surprisingly lengthy adolescent phase” culminating in peak performance typically in a person’s early thirties.
Following this peak, a period of stability extends from approximately age 32 to 66. However, subtle deterioration in the brain’s white matter - the crucial network facilitating communication between regions – begins around age 66. after age 83, brain regions become increasingly isolated, with direct connections breaking down and a greater reliance on local networks.
“Looking back, many of us feel our lives have been characterised by different phases. It turns out that brains also go through these eras,” said Professor Astle. He emphasized the link between brain wiring and various conditions, stating, “Many neuro-developmental, mental health and neurological conditions are linked to the way the brain is wired… differences in brain wiring predict difficulties with attention, language, memory and a whole host of different behaviours.”
Professor Astle concluded that understanding these turning points in brain structure is crucial for identifying when and how its wiring is vulnerable to disruption.
