Top 8 Research Items in the Field of Adolescent Brain Development.

Below is the list of the most exciting things I think researchers have discovered in the area of adolescent brain development.  I am hoping somebody will let me know if I missed anything.

1) The prefrontal [PFC] cortex is still developing.  The brain isn't complete just because the baby is born.  In fact, it is just the opposite.  Most of the brain still needs to develop after birth and well into many years to come.  Jay Geidd, along with other researchers, have discovered that adolescence, starting around 10-11 years old and ending in a person's mid-twenties, is the key time for the development of the PFC.

2) The brain's plasticity [or the ability of the neurons to receive and learn new messages] allows for the brain to keep learning.  I like to think of the brain's plasticity as linked to hope and potential, especially when I am working with groups that help at-risk youth.  I think every kid can be helped.  The trick, however, is finding out what will work, when it needs to be provided and who will do it.   It may be a long, tricky road ahead for a young damaged brain, but the right combination of the three makes all the difference in the world.

3) The amygdala and the limbic system are powerful influences on the adolescent.  The AMYGDALA, which is naturally larger in the male brain, is the center for strong emotional reactions.  The LIMBIC SYSTEM, which contains the amygdala, is a multi-component system in the center of the brain and is known as the emotional response system. These items "drive" the adolescent brain until the PFC can "get behind the wheel" and regulate the emotional response.

4) Myelination of the axons intensifies.  Axons are the communication "highways" between neurons in the brain.  A fatty substance known as myelin coats the axons to make them more efficient and durable. This process intensifies during adolescence helping the teen brain become a better operator.

5) Puberty is separate from adolescent brain development.  You can't blame everything on the hormones, even though they can be rowdy guests at the party.  The relationship between brain development and neurotransmitters [neurological system]  and puberty and hormones [endocrine system] is an interesting one when you take into consideration the purpose, need and timing of both.

6) There are three stages of adolescence (as defined by Lawrence Steinberg): early (10-13 years old); middle (14-17 years old); and late (18-21/25 years old).  Within each stage there are changes in the biological, cognitive, and social spheres.

7) There are gender similarities and gender differences in the brain.  Given that everything is "normal" and they are healthy brains, a few similarities between male and female brains are: (a) both develop from the back to the front; (b) both brains need water; (c) both can be damaged by the stress hormone, cortisol; and (d) both brains need "good" fats such as Omega 3 to help with the myelination process.  The differences are: (a) the male brain is typically larger than the female brain (but it doesn't mean they are smarter); (b) the female brain receives more blood flow to the front of the brain; (c) the male brain has a larger amygdala while the female brain has a larger hippocampus; and (d) the female brain uses both sides of the brain to process language while the male brain uses only one side.

8) The use of technology can have a profound impact on how the brain develops.  A book I highly recommend to everyone who wants to learn more about this is "iBrain: Surviving the technological alteration of the modern mind" by Gary Small and GiGi Vorgan. The younger generations' brains do not operate like the brains of older generations because the skills and tasks they are learning through the use of technology.