My Brain at 40 versus My Child's Brain Before 20

My brain is on a downhill slope. The reason? I turned 40 last month. Before you start rolling your eyes, take note: Back in September, scientists at the University of California-Los Angeles said that 39-year-olds are tops on standard tests of motor skills. After that, it truly is downhill.

The blame lies in the deterioration of the insulation on our nerve fibers. The key word (remember it while you still can, you twenty- and thirty-somethings!) is myelin. It’s the speed-boosting insulation that surrounds our nerve fibers, kind of like the plastic insulation that keeps electricity from leaking out of wires. According to Discover magazine’s March issue, the average 20-year-old has about 100,000 miles of myelin-covered fibers in her brain. After a peak around age 39, the miles start rolling back. Bummer.

Myelin is also a key word among scientists who study infants and toddlers. This is when myelin is being formed in the brain. You can thank (or blame) your parents for giving you a good healthy coating to start with – your brain’s structure is determined partly by genetics, partly by environment. For example, this is why it’s so important that babies get plenty of fat from breast milk or formula and continue to drink whole milk until age 2. Myelin is a fatty coating.

Wouldn’t you know it, I’m 40 and losing fat in all the wrong places!

Now that it’s too late for me, I’m becoming more and more fascinated by brain development. The critical period for influencing it is infancy, because that’s when the brain is most impressionable. (There’s a great Q&A that explains this in more detail at the homepage of an organization called Zero to Three).

However, the teen years also mark a fascinating period. As we all know, teens do risky things (some would say stupid) even when they should have the information to make good decisions. That sameMarch issue of Discover explains why – it may be that teens’ brains have an amplified system of rewards for reaching goals. Because they feel the rewards more, it’s harder for them to back away. And as a double whammy, their brain’s impulse control isn’t as developed as it will be when they finally get to their 20s.

Essentially, they have the knowledge to play it safe but their brains are pushing them to be daredevils.

This knowledge will be helpful to have about six years from now, when my oldest son becomes a teenager. Maybe that will be my strategy … confuse him with neuroscience when he starts going on about how I’m the meanest mom ever. Oh, wait. He already does that. And if he were to get wind of my myelin depletion, it would just give him extra ammunition.

By Amy De La Hunt, Health Blogger for SmartParenting

Share This Story

Amy De La Hunt is a journalist and editor who lives in the St. Louis metro area and works across the country as a writer, copy editor, project manager and editorial consultant on everything from fiction books to monthly magazines to blog posts. When she's not chauffeuring her teenage sons to activities, Amy is an enthusiastic amateur cook, landscaper, Latin dancer and traveler. Follow Amy on Instagram @amy_in_words

Our Daily Things to Do email is the easiest way to plan your day.
Follow Us
 
Things to Do

Movies Under the Stars at the Chesterfield Amphitheater
Wednesday, July 9, 2025
Wednesday, August 20, 2025

Spend an evening watching a free family movie under the stars at the Chesterfield Amphitheater. Movies will be shown at dusk using laser projection technology on the roof of the amphitheater for a unique viewing experience. Enjoy food trucks and the Bubble Bus too!

View this event »
Summer Family Fun Series at the Missouri History Museum
Wednesday, July 9, 2025
Friday, July 11, 2025
Wednesday, July 16, 2025

Join the Missouri History Museum for free family fun in June and July at the Summer Family Fun Series! Enjoy a variety of free family activities, including crafts, performances, and scavenger hunts, all are tied into Museum exhibits and centered on a different theme each week. Learn about Caribbean, Latin American, and German cultures in STL, discover Missouri’s trains, planes and other forms of transportation innovation, celebrate the 10th anniversary of the History Clubhouse, and more!

View this event »
Want daily ideas of things to do? How about special offers & giveaways? Sign up and we’ll handle the rest.
Popular Stories

Festivals & Fireworks to Celebrate July 4th in St. Louis

It's time to celebrate Independence Day in St. Louis, and because this year July 4th falls on a Friday, your family can look forward to a full weekend of festivals and fireworks. Check out these family-friendly celebrations that include carnivals, fantastic fireworks and lots more.

Continue reading »
Why Summer Camp is Great for . . . Parents

Being able to focus on yourself, your partner, and other people in your life who mean a lot to you is no small matter. As parents, we’re used to being responsible providers and caregivers. However, there’s so much more to a person: we’re also partners and friends. These are important parts of our identities that we need to cultivate. Sending your kids to summer camp may bring out your more playful side that you haven’t shown for a while.

Continue reading »
7 Signs Your Kids Are Ready For Their First Sleepaway Camp

It’s time to decide whether to send your kids to sleepaway camp, but how do you know that's the right thing to do? How can you tell whether your kids are ready for their first extended stay away from home? Here are 7 important signs that experts say should inform your decision.

Continue reading »
Want Your Kids to Learn? Teach Them It’s Okay to Make Mistakes

It’s normal for parents to want to protect their children from failure. It’s also normal to want them to achieve, win, and do their best. But here’s the truth: We don’t learn anything new without making mistakes. I’ll say it again. Making mistakes is a crucial step in learning. If we’re fearful of making mistakes, learning comes to a screeching halt.

Continue reading »
10 Ways to Improve Your Child's Listening Skills

Focused listening is one of the most important skills your child will ever learn. Children with strong listening skills do better in school, sports, relationships and, eventually, in their careers. But many children lack this important skill and parents are rightly concerned. First, listening is much more than just hearing.

Continue reading »
You Might Also Like...

From Our Sponsors
Follow Us