Your brain is still developing until your early 30s: Study
Turns out, your brain keeps growing and changing much longer than you might think—a new Cambridge study shows it's still developing right into your early 30s.
Researchers scanned the brains of almost 3,800 people (ages 0 to 90) and found four big shifts in brain structure at ages nine, 32, 66, and 83.
Five phases, not just childhood
The team split brain development into five stages: childhood (birth-9), adolescence (9-early 30s), adulthood (early 30s-66), early aging (66-83), and late aging (83+).
During adolescence—yep, all the way to about age 32—your brain's wiring gets a major upgrade for better thinking and communication.
Things settle down after that as adulthood kicks in.
Why does this matter?
These phases aren't just trivia—they line up with when we're more likely to face mental health challenges or changes in how we think and feel.
Knowing when our brains are most adaptable could help spot issues earlier or even shape better support for mental health during key years.