New Cambridge University research shows human brains develop through five distinct phases, with adolescence lasting until age 32. Scientists scanned nearly 4,000 people up to age 90 to map brain cell connections across lifetimes. The study identifies key transition points at ages 9, 32, 66, and 83. Lead researcher Dr. Alexa Mousley explained: “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.” The phases include childhood (birth to 9), adolescence (9 to 32), adulthood (32 to 66), early aging (66 to 83), and late aging (83 onwards). Professor Duncan Astle noted that brain wiring differences predict attention, language, and memory difficulties. The findings, published in Nature Communications, help explain varying mental health and dementia risks throughout life. (Story URL)
