New Research on Brain Development: The Teen’s Brain

As any parent of a teenager will attest, there are times when you say “What in the world was he thinking,” or “How could she do such a stupid thing?” After all, by age 16 or so our teens certainly look mature. How, we wonder, can they act so immaturely? Some recent research* may offer a rationale to that most irrational period of human development—adolescence.

There has been a lot of research devoted to the first three years of life—the physical development, emotional growth, and brain development. We now know for example, how important stimulation is for the growing brain, and the best types of stimulation to provide for newborns and babies. Similarly, new research reveals the differences between the adolescent brain and the mature brain. Understanding the differences can help parents deal with exasperating behavior often exhibited by teens, and may help them cope with their own frustrations.

Stubborn, impulsive behavior may be due to the immaturity of the brain’s frontal cortex, rather than just a surly attitude. Imaging technologies are showing that impulsivity, poor judgment and social anxiety among teens are due to the fact that they really cannot think as adults do. Their brains are still developing and particularly the part of the brain that is associated with decision-making, insight, judgment and inhibitory control.

It’s no wonder many teens make poor decisions regarding risky behaviors, including drinking, drug abuse, and sexual activity. And, perhaps the number of car accidents and speeding incidents among the youngest drivers is not just due to inexperience.

As the brain matures in adolescence, teens begin to think more abstractly outside of themselves, and become aware of others’ perceptions. Although their abstract reasoning skills are increasing, their levels of social anxiety are too, leading to an increase in vulnerability for some adolescents.

These new insights can be helpful to parents navigating their teens’ years, but can also be useful to behaviorists, psychologists, psychiatrists, and professionals in the juvenile justice system who are working to help adolescents through a difficult period of maturation.

* Harvard University’s McLean Hospital Cognitive Neuroimaging and Neurophysiology Laboratory