The human brain is, without a doubt, one of the most complex and mysterious organs we have. From birth, when we are barely able to perceive the world around us, until adulthood, our brain goes through a series of transformations that allow it to constantly adapt and improve. In that sense, Doctor Stefan Mindea, neuroscientist and medical researcher, has revealed, through an interview with ‘The Mirror’, the way in which gets old our brain and the exact age at which it reaches its maximum performance.
As the expert revealed to the British media, during early childhood, between birth and five yearsthe brain experiences accelerated growth in neuronal connections, facilitating a great learning capacity. This is a crucial period, in which the foundation is laid for essential skills such as languagethe social interactions and the problem solving. This growth is so rapid that the child’s brain is able to absorb information at a rate that will not be repeated in any other phase of life.
Upon reaching adolescence, among 10 and 20 yearsthe brain begins a process known as “synaptic pruning,” by which eliminates neural connections that are not frequently used. This mechanism allows the brain specialize in those skills and knowledge that we use most, although it also implies that learning new tasks becomes more complicated than in childhood.
At what age does the brain reach its maximum performance?
In young adulthood, until approximately 25 yearsthe brain continues to mature, but It has not yet reached its maximum performance. The areas in charge of pulse regulationhe emotional control and the long term planning complete their development at this stage, allowing greater emotional stability and a more robust ability to make informed decisions.
According to Doctor Mindea, the brain does not reaches maximum cognitive performance until middle age, between 40 and 60 years. In this phase, many people experience a “cognitive peak,” characterized by a increased verbal memory and a accumulated knowledge that improves over the years. In this sense, the expert points out that, during this period, cognitive priorities change: “Many people are beginning to focus their efforts on contributing something meaningful to the next generations and on personal self-reflection.” This phase represents the peak of mental performancein which the brain has acquired both a vast experience like a great ability to process it efficiently.
However, from the 65 yearsthe brain begins a gradual reduction process in certain areas, especially those related to memory. This shrinkage can cause some forgetfulness or difficulties remembering information with the same speed as before. Nevertheless, intelligence and experience accumulated over the years do not disappear. Although it may take longer to access that information, the brain is still able to process it and, in some cases, even improve in areas related to wisdom and the knowledge.
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