The teen years are an important time for brain development. We now know that different parts of the brain mature at different times in our lives and that our brains are still developing into our mid-20s!
There are two key ways that teens brains are changing:
1. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is the part of the brain right behind the forehead. This part of the brain is responsible for planning, decision making, considering consequences, impulse control and emotional regulation. We now know that the PFC is formed by late adolescence, BUT during the teenage years a crucial refining or ‘pruning’ process is taking place. While these skills mature during adolescence, it is the implementation of these skills that can lag behind. Knowing how, when, and why to use these skills is held back by the other significant change that is happening in the neural system.
2. Another part of the brain going through radical transformation during the teenage years is the system responsible for motivation and assessing rewards and punishments. Researchers, such as Beatriz Luna and colleagues at the Laboratory of Neurocognitive Development at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, are just beginning to understand how the teenage need for rewards, or a dopamine rush, are overriding their PFC in order to take risks or engage in behaviors that provide immediate rewards. In teen-speak, many of their decisions are made in order to “get a rush.”
We know that brains are a work-in-progress – and everybody needs a little room to make mistakes and learn from them. Risk-taking is scary for parents, but it is actually a very normal and necessary part of development.
Tips for Promoting Brain Development:
- Make information available for teens to make good decisions.
- Model decision-making by talking through possible outcomes and situations with teens. When possible, let them practice and experience decision-making.
- Be present and available to help teens work through the pros and cons of their decisions.
- Make sure teens get enough sleep, physical activity, and healthy nutrition.
Additional Resources on Brain Development:
A great episode of “The Nature of Things” on the teenage brain
Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario: http://rnao.ca/bpg/guidelines/enhancing-healthy-adolescent-development
Raising Children Network: http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/brain_development_teenagers.html
National Institute of Mental Health: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/the-teen-brain-still-under-construction/index.shtml
