Download Notes on the Adolescent Brain

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Notes on The Adolescent Brain
• Adolescence is a crucial time in one’s life when it comes to brain development, second to
toddlerhood. New grey matter is being built and myelination and pruning are taking place in
preparation for all the skills and complex abilities that are learned and integrated from adolescence
to adulthood.
• The adolescent brain is programed to support the movement towards independence and the
courage it takes to stand on one’s own in the world.
• The higher brain or the cortex, in charge of decision making, empathy, impulse control,
understanding consequences, planning, and self soothing is not yet fully developed. It is important
to understand this in order to have realistic expectations of our adolescents and offer the support
they still need from the adults in their world.
• Social cues and emotional responses in the adolescent are therefore dependent more on the
amygdala, which is highly reactive and experiences input with heightened sensitivity. What can
seem very dramatic to an adult may well be an accurate expression of the adolescent’s experience.
• The part of the brain that processes information is primed to learn new things and deeply integrate
novel information at this stage. This is a great time to learn a new language, learn to play an
instrument and/or be exposed to different cultures, skills, and trades.
• This enhanced ability to take in information, paired with heightened sensitivity makes the
adolescent particularly vulnerable to emotional injuries and insecurities.
• The adolescent brain is more susceptible to drug induced toxicity. Alcohol and drug use at this
stage can effect the brain’s optimal functioning and development throughout the rest of life.
• An adolescent brain experiences heightened feelings of reward around risk taking and novelty. If
provided safe and character-building opportunities for these experiences, the adolescent can
thrive. The adolescent will seek novelty and risk and, without the cortex fully online, this can lead to
tragic choices. Support, guidance, and healthy opportunities to be independent, take chances, and
experience new exciting things are important at this stage of development.
• Because the part of the brain that experiences empathy to/from others is under construction, often
children at this stage of development feel lonely and misunderstood. Understanding this
misconnection can help both children and caretakers.
• At this stage of development, a massive pruning takes place in the brain and the neural pathways
that are not being stimulated are deemed unnecessary. This is the body’s way of sending resources
to what skills will be most necessary in one’s life. For this reason, it is important that the adolescent
is given the opportunity to spend their time on what is valuable to their physical, mental, and social
health.
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