Overview
- Researchers delineate five epochs of structural brain organization separated by four developmental turning points across the lifespan.
- Youth (about 9 to 32) uniquely shows rising network efficiency and continued white‑matter growth, with the most pronounced inflection occurring around 32.
- Adulthood (roughly 32 to 66) features a long plateau in structural architecture that aligns with stable cognition and personality.
- Early aging from about 66 brings network reorganization and measurable white‑matter decline alongside heightened sensitivity to cardiovascular factors.
- Late aging from around 83 shows further loss of global connectivity, though data are sparse for the oldest group and the cross‑sectional design limits causal conclusions.