The Current What can brain phases tell us about our stage of life?
Dec 1, 2025
Alexa Mosley, a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Cambridge, discusses groundbreaking findings on how our brains function differently across five critical life stages: childhood, adolescence, adulthood, early ageing, and late ageing. She reveals how these phases affect brain efficiency and connectivity, shedding light on mental health and dementia risks. Mosley also dives into the implications of an extended adolescent phase and the gradual changes in early ageing. This insightful conversation highlights the significance of understanding brain organization for improving mental health outcomes.
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Manifold Learning Reveals Brain Phases
- The team used manifold learning to simplify complex brain connectivity data into interpretable developmental curves.
- This method revealed distinct phases of brain rewiring rather than a single continuous progression.
Five Average Brain Eras Across Life
- The study identifies five lifespan phases: child, adolescent, adult, early aging, and late aging based on connectivity changes.
- These phases reflect average rewiring patterns, so ages (e.g., 32) are approximate population-level markers.
Efficiency Peaks Then Declines With Age
- In childhood brain efficiency decreases then flips around nine years old and increases through adolescence to a peak near 30.
- Aging shows rising modularity then late-life dependence on fewer hub regions, indicating segregation and vulnerability.