Psychology 101: Your brain stops its biological growth around the age of 30. Good news: your brain continues to possess plasticity and flexibility to learn throughout your physical life…

 

Psychology 101: Your brain stops its biological growth around the age of 30. Good news: your brain continues to possess plasticity and flexibility to learn throughout your physical life…

**By Hector Williams Zorrilla

January 17, 2022

Surely you have read or heard the saying that, “old dogs don't learn new tricks…”

With respect to human beings, neuroscience research and studies do NOT support that saying or proverb, and on the contrary, it is considered a myth to be avoided.

It is a scientific truth that the human brain stops its physiological and biological growth per se around 30 years of chronological age. And also, that many of the brain cells called neurons that die are not renewed, but that is NOT the end of the story of the organ where human life really resides: the brain.

Your adult brain contains between 85 and 100 million cells called neurons. This body organ is actually a miraculous and amazing wonder.

These neurons are connected and intertwined by billions of neural connections, which are the real responsibilities of all the signatures of human learning. Everything that a being has learned, continues to learn in the present and will learn in the future, is due to the neural connections of the brain.

And this is the best news: the human brain continues to possess something called plasticity or flexibility to learn and unlearn throughout physical life. And it is within these billions of neural connections that brain plasticity and flexibility reside.

More good news: Due to neuroscience research and studies, we now know what, when, and why we need to do to positively STIMULATE the brain to keep it active and healthy throughout physical life.

First, we know that getting the required hours of sleep and rest is a vital contributor to brain health.

Second, we know what foods to eat to support brain health.

Third, we know that exercising the body and engaging in some form of movement is essential to keeping the brain healthy throughout life.

Fourth, we know that the unhealthy accumulation of stress and anxiety is harmful to brain health, and that we must learn to manage stress and anxiety healthily.

Fifth, we know that the billions of neural connections in the brain benefit greatly from new learning, and that routine is deadly to brain health. Learning to play a musical instrument or a new language are good examples of new learning contributing to brain health.

Sixth, we know that the billions of neural connections in the brain benefit from novel human experiences, such as traveling and seeing new places, experimenting with new foods and even doing the same routines differently.

Regardless of your chronological age, you have the natural power to contribute to the health of your brain throughout your physical life.

It is true that there are windows of opportunity within the stages of brain development from fertilization to adolescence.

But even when those doors are closed, you have the power to nurture, protect, and stimulate your brain to keep it healthy throughout your physical life.

**The author is a psychologist, university professor and writer