"Unlocking Cognitive Adulthood: The Significance of Turning 18"

A new study involving over 10,000 participants has determined that executive function, a set of cognitive skills crucial for planning, task-switching, and focus, typically matures by the age of 18. The study provides a comprehensive chart of cognitive development in teenagers, showing rapid growth in executive function during late childhood to mid-adolescence, with stability achieved by late adolescence. These findings have important implications for education, psychiatry, and the judicial system, as they can aid in early diagnosis of mental illnesses and help define the boundaries of the adolescent period.