A new discovery: Maturing – skills that appear after 18
We can't become mature immediately – it takes time to become more responsible and learn our lessons in life.
New research, recently published in Nature Communications, presents convincing evidence indicating that executive function, a cluster of cognitive skills essential for tasks such as planning, task-switching, resisting distractions, and sustaining focus, typically reaches maturity around the age of 18.
Let's find out what the specialists have discovered.
How it was researched
Examining over 10,000 participants through various datasets, the study provides a comprehensive chart of cognitive development during adolescence.
This insight not only benefits psychiatrists and neuroscientists but also has implications for parents, educators, and potentially the legal system in defining the boundaries of adolescence.
The senior author notes that while behavioral factors, like emotional control, may change with age, executive function reliably improves and matures by 18.
Unlike childhood milestones, adolescence lacked a well-defined timeline due to its developmental complexity.
By harnessing the power of big data and embracing open data-sharing practices, the study uncovered a shared pattern in the maturation of executive function.
This pattern involves swift development from late childhood to mid-adolescence, followed by stabilization to reach adult-level performance by late adolescence.
This roadmap can aid researchers in understanding how interventions may impact developmental milestones, especially relevant for mental illnesses emerging during adolescence.
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