Hey people! Today, let’s learn about how the human brain ages. We are all well aware of the fact that all parts of our body age with time and the brain is no exception. No, don’t worry I’m not giving a lecture on the human brain. But I think it is very interesting to know the stages in the aging of the brain. To start with the development of the brain starts within four weeks of conception itself.
So it’s a very crucial period for both the mother and her baby. This is why a shortened gestation period may cause some psychological or behavioral problems in the child as he or she grows. During this time the brain produces twice the number of neurons, it will need but only those that reinforce with use remain. By the time a child enters his or her 6th year, the brain weighs 95 percent of its adult weight. Some people believe that our brain starts aging at the onset of puberty.
In adolescence, the brain is said to be fully grown but the process of “wiring” still continues at its pace. It will be interesting to know that between the ages of 20 and 90 the human brain loses up to 5 or 10 percent of its weight and the grooves of the brain also widen during this period. At the age of 20, our brain finally reaches adulthood. Now comes the deterioration part. The human brain starts deteriorating right from the age of 45. Most men and women during this period experience problems with memory, reasoning, and comprehension. By the time you are 80 years old, your brain shrinks in size because of the loss of water. This leads to deterioration of cognitive abilities and verbal memory.
The main factors that can help you prevent early aging of your brain are education, exercise, and rest. Learning something every day, indulging in good exercise, and sleeping well will prevent your brain from aging fast. Good food habits are obviously a must. Factors like hypertension and stress are known to accelerate the
process of brain aging.
Source: TermLifeInsurance.org
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