Doctor explains exact age your brain peaks and what happens to it as you get older

A neuroscientist has explained what happens to our brains as we age, as well as when our noggins reach peak power - to which the answer may surprise you.

Like the rest of our bodies, the brain develops as we age - but have you ever wondered why it's easier to learn a language in childhood and harder to remember your day-to-day tasks as you reach your twilight years?

Here to answer all of your pressing questions about the brain is Neuroscientist and neurosurgical medical researcher, Dr Stefan Mindea, who recently discussed all things brain-related during a recent interview with The Mirror.

Have you ever wondered about how the brain develops? (Getty Stock Images)

When does the brain reach its cognitive peak?

According to Mindea, our brain develops in stages and often doesn't reach its peak until midlife - which is good news to anyone who is yet to reach their mid-30s.

Explaining what happens at this age, Mindea said: "Many people experience shifts in cognitive priorities, often focusing more on what to contribute to the next generation and on personal self-reflection. This is also when some experience what’s called 'cognitive peak' - especially in areas like verbal memory and accumulated knowledge.

"This is basically the point when you will achieve maximum mental output or brain performance." the doctor says.

Mindea's comments are in-line with multiple studies on the human brain, with a previous study involving chess players revealing the optimum age for cognitive function is 35.

Meanwhile, a study shared by Psychological Science added that some people don't reach peak intelligence until the age of 40, which just proves that being deemed as clever in school isn't the be-all and end-all of academic excellence.

Thankfully our 'cognitive peak' doesn't occur until around middle age (Getty Stock Images)

When do our brains finish developing?

The fact many people don't reach their peak cognitive function until they're approaching middle age may come as a surprise to many - considering the fact that we're legally considered an adult at the age of 18.

However, it's less shocking when you factor in that the idea that a brain's frontal and prefrontal cortex - which is responsible for our impulse control and emotional regulation - doesn't finish developing until the age of 25, which is a perfect excuse to write off any embarrassing actions during the early years of adulthood.

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However it's all downhill once you get into your older years (Getty Stock Images)

What else happens to the brain as we age?

Have you ever wondered why children pick up languages much easier than adults?

Well, according to Mindea, this is because our brains go through a period of 'pruning' once we progress into adolescence, with unused neural connections from our childhoods going into 'atrophy'.

Things don't get much better once we pass our peak either, with Mindea adding that the brain 'gradually atrophies or shrinks' once we pass the age of 65.

Put simply, this means we can look forward to a decline in our problem solving and processing abilities.