The brain can change throughout life - study
A study has shown that the human brain undergoes two major restructuring phases: around ages 24 and 60. Scientists analyzed over 1.3 million nerve cells from donors ranging from the first months of life to 97 years old, creating a map of the prefrontal cortex. Until age 24, the brain actively develops, then enters a stable period until 60, after which age-related molecular changes intensify and neural rhythms weaken.
Scientists have discovered that the human brain undergoes two notable restructuring phases—around ages 24 and 60. This conclusion was reached by researchers who analyzed over 1.3 million nerve cells obtained from donors ranging in age from the first months of life to 97 years. The goal of the work was to create a detailed map of the prefrontal cortex, the brain region associated with decision-making and memory formation. The first restructuring phase occurs around age 24, when the brain completes its maturation, and the second around age 60, amid pronounced age-related changes. During childhood and adolescence, the brain actively reorganizes: the ratio of cell types changes and new neural connections form. By around age 24, this process slows down, after which the prefrontal cortex remains relatively stable until about age 60. Then, the activity of cells that provide support and protection to neural tissue increases again. After 60, age-related molecular changes intensify: cells more actively repair damage and maintain brain function. Its internal biological rhythm also changes—in young people, neurons operate on a 24-hour schedule, which becomes less pronounced with age. Scientists believe that such mechanisms partially explain why some people retain cognitive abilities even with signs of Alzheimer's disease.