The teenage stage of life is distinguished by the word ‘development’, both the apparent physical development and the often overlooked mental development. Adolescence is an important time for any individual and marks the transition period between childhood and adulthood, hence ‘development’. The development of the brain is especially important because it is what explains risk-taking and addictive behaviors. Recently, studies have come out showing that the adolescent brain is much more complex than previously thought.
“Adolescence is a time of wonderfully dynamic change in the brain,” says BJ Casey, a professor of psychology at the American Psychological Association (APA). The development of the brain is not a simple linear course, as previously thought.
The development of the brain during adolescence is marked by numerous factors. The prefrontal cortex, the part that most notably handles things such as decision making and planning, reduces in activity during this time. Due to this reduction of activity in the ‘rational’ part of the brain, adolescents are prone to taking more risks than other age groups – one of their most defining features. Social experiences become more favorable, and the social benefit, or the idea of there being a benefit, exceeds reasoning. When taking these risks, dopamine, a chemical attributed with happiness as well as learning and motivation, is released. This release of dopamine encourages the adolescent to pay more attention to the risk and see what the outcome could be. Taking a risk often has a negative connotation, but taking a new opportunity like joining a club at school or taking part of an activism movement is just as fitting to be a risk as something like being addicted to substances. Adolescents are more likely to release more dopamine than adults, which among other things, could lead to higher likelihood of addiction. In fact, 13-year-old teens who start drinking will have an amplified 43% chance of becoming alcoholics well into adulthood, compared to a 4.3 times less chance of 10% in those who start at 21.
In situations with peers, it has been proven that peers can have an impact on the brain so that a person may engage in more risky behaviors. Sometimes this can be positive and other times it can be negative. ‘Peer pressure’ is when a friend or peer pushes someone to do something that they are doing themselves or something they think would suit that someone’s interests and future. This may be activities such as participating more in school or being part of a local organization; however, it could also mean extremities like taking drugs and drinking.
Other factors include the two types of matter in the brain: white and gray matter. Gray matter is a kind of tissue made of neurons that does all kinds of functions like movement, memory, emotions, and is the area where one thinks and rationalizes. White matter is made of axons, and contributes to the communication within the brain. Gray matter increases in volume until about the age of eight, and then increases in density until age 20, fostering mental development. During adolescence, however, gray matter thins. According to Frontiers, this rate is at about 1.5% every year. This decrease does not result in any significant mental capacity changes, but rather is the result of forming connections, or the increase of volume of white matter.
An example of changing connections is how adolescents think. Adolescents think from the amygdala, the almond-shaped part of the brain that controls emotions like fear and anxiety. The thinking is done here, instead of the prefrontal cortex in adults, because of activity reduction in the prefrontal cortex and because connections between the two parts are still forming.
Thinking from the amygdala does not mean that teens are emotional all the time. Teens are incredibly capable with their adolescent brains. They have an amazing capacity to learn new concepts and experiences that demonstrate their strength and resilience. Despite the intense levels of stress one may experience, especially during adolescence, teen brains often go on to be healthy in adulthood. They are still susceptible to mental issues and disorders, though, that commonly develop more during this stage in life than any other. This is due to the aforementioned changes the brain experiences during this time. Yet, these changes are not always likely to cause issues and can lead to overall better mental health long term.
The teen brain is more than just a transition anomaly between childhood and adulthood, but a recently proved complex part of the body that gives rise to the adult a teen will become. It is the prime time for being social and taking up new opportunities to initiate a successful adulthood.