As our ability to interpret and observe the brain develops, our understanding of what happens as it ages. It’s both fascinating and a little terrifying.
It’s always been clear that as we grow older, the way our brain processes information changes. Learning new things as a kid is a breeze, whereas sometimes, as an adult, I’ll walk into a room and forget why I’m there.
But now, with a simulation video uploaded by The Economist, we can actually see how the brain ages. It has helped explain numerous changes in behaviour and function throughout our lives.
The brain continues to grow until around our 30s, where it reaches full development. However, white matter is still being produced until the age of about 40.
Changes In Behavior As The Brain Ages
It has been shown that even the way we store short-term memories changes as we get older. As young people, we will use only the left side of the brain for this purpose. However, as our brain ages, we will begin to use both sides.
Another fascinating revelation of the animation shows that the way we deal with negativity is determined by how the brain ages. The amygdala, responsible for emotional response, lights up for young brains when they look at both positive and negative things.
However, as the brain gets older, it responds much less to negative images. This explains why, as we become adults, we become more resilient to negativity. Our brain is literally not responding to it.
As we hit our mid-thirties, our brains reach peak cognitive performance. “Many people experience shifts in cognitive priorities, often focusing more on what to contribute to the next generation and on personal self-reflection,” Dr Stefan Mindea told The Mirror. “This is also when some experience what’s called ‘cognitive peak’ – especially in areas like verbal memory and accumulated knowledge. This is basically the point when you will achieve maximum mental output or brain performance.”
It’s all downhill from there, though. Once we hit around 65, the brain atrophies and shrinks. We start to lose cognition, memory, and many other brain-related skills. There are ways to keep your brain healthy as it ages, however.