Establishing a mature diagram of the brain

A new study by American scientists for the first time sketches a brain maturation scheme in conjunction with a test of cognitive ability development and concludes that human learning is completed in 11-12 years old.

Scientists use brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) devices of 500 children periodically from birth to adolescence. These MRI images show how the development and reorganization of different regions in the brain through childhood. Besides, they perform their ability tests on intelligence, language skills and memory.

This research - directed by Dr. Deborah Waber at Children's Hospital Boston - confirms that abilities such as memory, language, positioning, reasoning, computation . only grow rapidly from 6 to 10 years old and then stable at 11-12 years old.

The study also showed that the ability to express in girls developed earlier than men while the ability of mathematics between men and women developed equally.

Once scientists combine images of brain maturation with test results in cognitive abilities, they will better understand the normal development of children. From that data, they will be able to help children with mental deviations, such as autism.

Truc Lam