Poems and Thoughts    by Frank Maurer

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The Frightening New Adolescent Brain. The human brain silently rewires itself At ages 9, 32, 66, and 83, as seen from MRI data. The first stage of early brain development Is as one would think, the childhood stage, coming first, And which transitions to the adolescent phase, Lasting until the age of about 32 (not 20!). This age shows neural efficiency rising and peaking at 32. This age also marks the strongest rewiring shift of a lifespan. The brain, then, does not change steadily over time, But shifts through distinct eras, Which influence learning, vulnerability and resilience. It is adulthood from 32, (becoming a 'true adult'), To 66 that is the long period of structural stability. At 66, early aging starts, with the weakening of white matter. The changes in 'white matter' (nerve fiber bundles), Are the communication network. Late aging occurs at 83, When long-distance neural connections weaken. The startling point here, at least for me is, are we marrying, Starting our professions, making career decisions and so on, While we are still in the newly defined adolescent stage? Does this imply that criminal prosecutions, for instance, must be modified, To consider the still-maturing brain, later than we suspected at 20? As this knowledge becomes more commonly understood, Our society might view criminal punishment in a whole new light-- As well, perhaps, of other implications for our maturing and aging brain. Frank Maurer 27 December 2025 1420 Hours.