Unprecedented mapping reveals five stages of brain development and redefines the chronology of neural maturation
- Dakila News
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
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Researchers have revealed that the human brain does not evolve continuously, as many believe. In fact, it goes through five major “eras”, marked by profound changes in the way neural connections work. These milestones occur, on average, at ages 9, 32, 66, and 83, according to a study of nearly 4,000 people, from newborns to 90-year-olds.
The research shows that childhood, up to around age 9, is a period of intense reorganization. Adolescence, on the other hand, lasts from age 9 to 32, when the brain finally reaches “adult” mode. This data is noteworthy because it indicates that our brains continue to structure themselves and undergo major transformations well beyond the age of 20.
From the age of 32, the brain enters its longest phase: adulthood, marked by stability and refinement of functions. Around the age of 66, the “early aging” phase begins, followed, at the age of 83, by a stage of advanced aging, where connections begin to decline more sharply.
According to scientists, understanding these changes can help identify moments of greater vulnerability to mental health problems and neurodegenerative diseases. What's more, this discovery opens the door to new strategies for prevention and care throughout life.
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One of the most comprehensive mappings of human neuroarchitecture has identified five structural epochs of the brain, defined by four neurobiological inflection points at ages 9, 32, 66, and 83. The research analyzed connectivity and structural organization data from nearly 4,000 individuals between the ages of 0 and 90, characterizing marked transitions in the efficiency, compartmentalization, and dynamics of neural networks.
The first phase, childhood, showed a predominance of network consolidation, with synaptic reduction and volumetric increase in gray and white matter, leading to decreased efficiency in network integration. The second phase, corresponding to adolescence, showed refinement of global connectivity and a progressive increase in interregional communication efficiency—a phenomenon associated with improvements in cognitive performance.
The milestone at age 32 revealed the most intense structural change, ushering in adulthood, characterized by stabilization and greater compartmentalization of neural networks. This transition may be related to environmental factors and life events, although it was not directly investigated in the study. From the age of 66 onwards, signs of progressive decline were observed, related to white matter degeneration and a drop in global connectivity.
The results have direct implications for neuropsychiatry and the study of neurodegenerative diseases, demonstrating that specific vulnerabilities arise at different times in the life cycle. According to the authors, understanding these “neural eras” may guide new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches based on brain chronobiology.
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