New research from University Medical Center Utrecht shows that our brain declines later than previously thought, and the decline in brain processing speed starts between the ages of 30 and 40. Using an electrode grid that is placed on the brain of some epilepsy patients in preparation for surgery, researchers found that connections in the brain become faster as we get older, with connections increasing from two meters per second in children aged four to four meters per second in people aged between 30 and 40. The study provides important information about our central nervous system, and experts can use this information to make more realistic computer models of our brain. Brain regions develop at different rates, and the development of brain processing speed is not a straight line but rather a curve.
Recent research from the University Medical Center Utrecht (UMC Utrecht) has revealed that our brains do not start to decline at the age of 25, as previously thought. Instead, the study found that brain processing speed slows down between the ages of 30 and 40. The study, which was published in Nature Neuroscience, was conducted by clinical technologist Dorien van Blooijs and neurologist Frans Leijten, along with colleagues from UMC Utrecht and the Mayo Clinic.
The research team measured the processing speed of our brains and how it changes as we age. They found that the connections in our brain become faster as we get older, with connections increasing from two meters per second in children aged four to four meters per second in people aged between 30 and 40. The researchers also discovered that brain regions develop at different rates, with the frontal lobe developing longer than the area responsible for movement. The development of brain processing speed is not a straight line but rather a curve.
The researchers used an electrode grid that is placed on the brain (under the skull) of some epilepsy patients in preparation for epilepsy surgery to obtain precise measurements. The grid consists of 60-100 electrodes that can measure brain activity. By stimulating the electrodes using short currents, the researchers were able to see which brain areas respond abnormally, creating a map of which areas should and should not be removed during epilepsy surgery.
The data that the research team collected over 20 years was also used to develop new insights into how our brain works. It was previously believed that brain regions decline at a certain age, but this research suggests otherwise. Our brains continue to develop longer than previously thought, and our brain processing speed does not begin to decline until we reach our thirties.
In conclusion, this study challenges the previous belief that our brains start to decline at 25 years of age. Instead, the research shows that brain processing speed slows down between the ages of 30 and 40. The study provides new insights into how our brains work, with brain regions developing at different rates and brain processing speed following a curve rather than a straight line. The data collected by the research team using an electrode grid on epilepsy patients also highlights how this technique can be used to create a map of which brain areas should and should not be removed during surgery.
The new research from University Medical Center Utrecht (UMC Utrecht) uses an electrode grid that is placed on the brain of some epilepsy patients in preparation for surgery. By stimulating the electrodes using short currents, researchers can create a map of which areas should and should not be removed during epilepsy surgery. This technique has been used to measure the speed of connections in our brain and how it changes as we age.
The researchers found that the connections in our brain become faster as we get older, with connections increasing from two meters per second in children aged four to four meters per second in people aged between 30 and 40. The researchers obtained the data by measuring the time it takes for a reaction to occur between two different brain regions. The results of the study provide important information about our central nervous system, and experts can use this information to make more realistic computer models of our brain.
For these models to work, in addition to information about the connections, precise values concerning the speed of those connections are needed. “We now have these numbers for the very first time,” said neurologist Frans Leijten. With this data, researchers can make new and better computer models that increase our understanding of the brain. The study not only advances epilepsy research but also research into other brain disorders.
The study challenges the previous belief that our brains start to decline at 25 years of age. Instead, the research shows that brain processing speed slows down between the ages of 30 and 40. Brain regions develop at different rates, with the frontal lobe developing longer than the area responsible for movement. The development of brain processing speed is not a straight line but rather a curve.
Reference: van Blooijs D, van den Boom MA, van der Aar JF, et al. Developmental trajectory of transmission speed in the human brain. Nat Neurosci. 2023. doi: 10.1038/s41593-023-01272-0
Don’t miss interesting posts on Famousbio
