BISblog: The mysterious workings of the adolescent brain

Why do teenagers seem so much more impulsive, so much less self-aware than grown-ups? Teenage children are all marvellously unique and individual which makes the challenges of teaching and parenting our youngsters a joy and sometimes a source of frustration and puzzlement. Fortunately it is easier than ever before to gain insights into the reasons behind teenage behaviour. The development of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has helped provide information on why our sons and daughters behave as they do. In a recent 14 minute TED presentation, cognitive neuroscientist Sarah-Jayne Blakemore compares the prefrontal cortex in adolescents to that of adults, to show us how typically “teenage” behaviour is caused by the growing and developing brain.

It is well worth a look and is described on the TED website like this:

“Remember being a teenager? Rocked internally with hormones, outwardly with social pressures, you sometimes wondered what was going on in your head. So does Sarah-Jayne Blakemore. And what she and others in her field are finding is: The adolescent brain really is different.

New brain imaging research and clever experiments are revealing how the cortex develops -- the executive part of the brain that handles things like planning, self-awareness, analysis of consequences and behavioural choices. It turns out that these regions develop more slowly during adolescence, and in fascinating ways that relate to risk-taking, peer-pressure and learning.”

Here is the link:

http://on.ted.com/Blakemore

Parents interested in further reading on this topic will find plenty of information on-line. This magazine from the Children’s Hospital Boston is a good place to start:

http://www.childrenshospital.org/dream/summer08/the_teenage_brain.html