2006-11-17 13:21:24 · 6 answers · asked by Jay E 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Medicine
Yes, as long as life continues there is a process of growing more dendrites - connections - between neurons. This process is enhanced by stimulation: crossword puzzles, reading, even going to work, meditation, soduku, learning a new language or musical instrument, etc., etc.
;-)
2006-11-17 13:24:55 · answer #1 · answered by WikiJo 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
AFAIK, most IQ tests are valid for a person's lifetime, (barring accidents), so I would guess that it more consolidates what it has taken in than continues to develop?
I would say yes, but more in the sense of analysing what it knows; and how it all applies, and is worth passing on, or mentioning, than not. Let's face it, bright people talk a lot of crap sometimes, and if they live past fifty, they sometimes seem to become wiser or more tactful or purposeful?
Probably the intelligence remains the same, but the analysis responds better to circumstances, and can step back by choice, or step forward to make a difference if it sees a need for that information?
I guess that scanning intelligent people - Bill Gates? - would sort that issue out!
Depends on who defines development - what about unremarkable people who retire & emigrate & then learn two new languages? I'd guess that they were always planning to do that. But what about statesmen who can only be elected to office after a certain "maturity"? Is that real? It must be proven somewhere if it's still part of legal systems.
2006-11-17 21:40:56 · answer #2 · answered by WomanWhoReads 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Our brains are continually re-shaping themselves to meet the demands of everyday life, even throughout adulthood. However, there are certain aspects of brain structure and function that do level off during development. For example, the number of neurons peaks even before birth; some 100 billion are formed during just the first five months of gestation. (Recent evidence suggests that new neurons are produced throughout life, though far less rapidly, and probably in numbers sufficient only to replace those that gradually die off.)
2006-11-17 21:28:38 · answer #3 · answered by Crazy_person 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The brain has a predetermined amount of neurons at birth, but dendritic and axonal growth do continue to a degree.
2006-11-18 19:27:33 · answer #4 · answered by aali_and_harith 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
~20,000 brain cells a day are lost... everyday. a 70 year olds brain is 10% smaller than when they were a teen... but yes, it still adapts, still learns.
2006-11-21 00:19:26 · answer #5 · answered by causalitist 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
nope, I'm 50 and a half, and getting stupider every day.
2006-11-17 21:24:13 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋