A new look at the adolescent brain: It's not all emotional chaos
Thursday, March 10, 2011 - 14:10
in Psychology & Sociology
Adolescence is often described as a tumultuous time, where heightened reactivity and impulsivity lead to negative behaviours like substance abuse and unsafe sexual activity. Previous research has pointed to the immature adolescent brain as a major liability, but now, a unique study reveals that some brain changes associated with adolescence may not be driving teens towards risky behaviour but may actually reflect a decrease in susceptibility to peer pressure. The findings, published by Cell Press in the March 10 issue of the journal Neuron, provide a more complete perspective of the neural systems associated with adolescent behaviour...