Do I have fewer brain cells than a newborn baby?

Neurons are the brain’s messengers: they send signals that help different parts of the brain communicate with each other. You may have heard that our bodies can't make new brain cells- and we're born with all the neurons we'll ever have. So...if a few brain cells die off over the course of our life, does that mean that babies have more brain cells than adults? Click "Read More" to find out ​👀

It's true! ...and false?

A human baby is born with nearly 100 billion neurons! ​As we get older, our brains get more advanced and efficient, and we don't need as many brain cells. The extra cells die off to conserve energy, leaving the average adult with only 86 billion neurons. So, it's true that babies have more brain cells than adults.
For a long time, scientists thought we were born with all the neurons we’d ever have… but new research shows that our brain keeps making new neurons throughout our whole life! This process is called adult neurogenesis, and is especially important for learning new skills and forming memories. So, no matter your age, your brain has the power to keep growing and learning—it’s never too late to teach it something new!