Table of contents:
- At what age will human brain development stop?
- What happens to the brain as you age?
- How to keep the brain healthy in old age
The human body stops growing after puberty, which is 18 years of age. However, this is not the case with brain development. It turns out that even when we are adults, the brain will still continue to develop, to the point where it will stop growing.
At what age will human brain development stop?
In fact, there is still some debate to answer at what age the brain will stop developing. Initially, some literature assumed that the brain would stop developing when you were a teenager, which is why many people assume a person's brain has finished developing when other parts of the body stop developing, namely at the age of 18. But in fact, a study published in Human Brain Mapping revealed that the brain is still developing after the age of 18.
This search for answers was followed by research conducted by Craig M. Bennet, who attempted to compare the results scan brain among participants aged 18 years, with participants aged 25-35 years. The results of this comparison then concluded that changes in the brain were still detected, especially in the areas of the brain that play a role in combining emotions and cognition. Brain development in this area has not been detected in brain development at 18 years of age.
Then when will the brain stop developing? A study conducted by Archana Singh-Manoux of 10,308 participants revealed that the cognitive function of your brain will show signs of slowing down at the age of about 45 to 49 years. These signs of slowdown were seen when the participants had difficulty when asked to name as many words and the name of the animal as possible starting with the letter S.
What happens to the brain as you age?
As you age, some of your brain's cognitive functions, such as speed of thought and memory, also slow down. But the good news is, a brain that has finished developing is actually much easier to adapt to.
As reported from Agewatch, a brain scan has revealed that although brain size may be shrinking, or age is aging, brain activity in the prefrontal area has actually increased.
This is supported by a neuroscientist from University College London, Sarah-Jayne Blakemore, who said that the prenatal cortex (the part of the brain located behind your forehead) is the part of the brain that takes the longest to develop. Apart from the fact that the prenatal cortex is the most important part of the cognitive functioning of the human brain, your ability to make plans and decisions is also a part of this part.
It is also the prenatal cortex that plays a behind-the-scenes role in your ability to socialize, empathize with, and interact with other people.
In other words, it turns out that not only your body adapts to the surrounding temperature and automatically tries to maintain a balanced state in your body. The same principle applies to your brain. As you age, trying to adapt is the brain's way of maintaining its productivity.
How to keep the brain healthy in old age
Some efforts to maintain your brain health for longer include staying diligent in physical activity, being active in social activities around you, and other activities that can stimulate the brain to remain productive, and consumption of healthy intake.
