Studies Reveal That The Brain Shows Physical Growth Over Years

Berfin Ceren Meray
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A recent study has shed light on the physical growth of our brains over the years. Scientists from UC Davis Health found that the brains of individuals born in the 1970s have 6.6% more volume and 15% more surface area compared to those born in the 1930s. Dive into the details below to understand more.

Source: JAMA Neurology

In recent years, extensive studies have been conducted on our vital organ, the brain.

These studies address both various diseases and the functionality of the brain. According to a study, our brains are physically growing. Scientists from UC Davis Health revealed that the brains of individuals born in the 1970s have 6.6% more volume and 15% more surface area compared to those born in the 1930s. The study was published in the JAMA Neurology journal in March.

"Genetics plays an important role in determining brain size, but our findings also indicate that external factors such as health, social, cultural, and educational influences may also play a role."

Researchers analyzed data from the Framingham Heart Study, a community-based study ongoing for approximately 75 years in Framingham, Massachusetts, now including second and third-generation participants.

Scientists examined MRIs of individuals born between 1925 and 1968 with an average age of 57, from March 1999 to November 2019.

Brain volume (or intracranial volume) has gradually increased slowly but steadily. The average brain volume in the 1930s was 1,234 millimeters, reaching 1,321 millimeters by the 1970s, indicating a 6.6% increase.

For those born in the 1930s, the brain's surface area increased from 2,056 square centimeters to 2,104 square centimeters for those born in the 1970s.

Researchers also observed an increase in size in gray matter, white matter, and the hippocampus, a part of the brain associated with learning and memory, over the years.