Adolescent Brain
Your textbook details a sequence in which the human brain develops. The limbic system, or the seat of emotions and experience of rewards, (p. 344) is said to be completely developed in early adolescence. However, the pre-frontal cortex, also called the, judgement region doesn’t finish developing until at least a person is nearly an adult.
We could reasonably suggest that during the adolescent stage, it may be biologically difficult for a person to wrangle their emotions, impulses, and behaviors.
As a medical educator, how would you teach a group of parents about why their adolescent boys and girls are “acting out”?
In approximately 3 pages, create a “fact sheet” in MS Word that includes a chart, images, or banners, tables, etc., that explain why adolescent children may be less logical and more emotional in their decision-making. As part of your fact sheet, include ideas on how parents can best support their teenager during this time
Sample Solution
Adolescence is a time of significant growth and development inside the teenage brain. The main change is that unused connections in the thinking and processing part of your child`s brain (called the grey matter) are `pruned` away. At the same time, other connections are strengthened. This is the brain`s way of becoming more efficient, based on the `use it or lose it` principle. Because the prefrontal cortex is still developing, teenagers might rely on a part of the brain called the amygdala to make decisions and solve problems more than adults do. The amygdala is associated with emotions, impulses, aggression and instinctive behavior.
