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Adulthood Begins at 32, New Brain Study Reveals
3 Dec
Summary
- Adulthood, in terms of brain function, begins at age 32.
- The adolescent brain phase, with increasing efficiency, lasts until 32.
- Brain function plateaus during the longest adult phase from 32 to 66.
Recent findings from the University of Cambridge suggest that the human brain transitions into adulthood much later than commonly perceived, specifically at the age of 32. This research, published in Nature Communications, outlines five distinct phases of brain development and aging, occurring at average ages of 9, 32, 66, and 83.
The period from age 9 until 32 is identified as the adolescent brain phase, a time during which brain efficiency consistently increases. Researchers emphasize that this doesn't imply teenage behavior, but rather a brain structure still undergoing significant development. Age 32 signifies the most profound shift, initiating the adult era, which spans the longest duration until approximately age 66.
During the adult era, from 32 to 66, brain function, intelligence, and personality are reported to be stable. Subsequently, the brain enters an early aging phase at 66, marked by reduced connectivity and white matter degeneration, increasing vulnerability to health conditions like hypertension. The final phase, late aging, begins at 83 with further reduction in brain connectivity.
