If you don't have a teenager yet, chances are you will one day. I was reading an article yesterday that I found really interesting about current brain research findings. Through MRIs, they are learning more how teenage brains function, develop, etc. and it had some good links in it for anyone interested in how their own brains developed or that of their friends or loved ones coping with mental illness.
Could it be that many of the problems & the violence in the world is committed by adults who had faulty synapses in brain development as teenagers? (not joking) All experiences & exposures matter and affect how brains develop -- that's what I've concluded thus far.
Our brains aren't fully developed until age 25. By that time, much has occurred that can alter brain development (drugs, alcohol, injuries from sports, emotional struggles, etc.). Anyway, here's an excerpt & the article that contains the links:
The NIMH states that studies continue to show that developmental disorders seem to have a root cause in the time when the brain is still developing. Studies are continuing and scientists are paying particular attention to the brains of teenagers when trying to find the reason why mental illnesses and developmental disorders occur."
A teenager’s brain may be only 80% developed, as extra, unconnected synapses in the teen’s brain seem to block the ability of the youngster to sometimes make judgments and to think rationally. As the brain continues to develop while the teenager moves into young adulthood, these synapses disappear in most teenagers.
Because some psychological disorders begin to develop during the teenage years, it’s possible that disorders like bipolar affective disorder are related to the immature brain and the extra synapses. Perhaps the brain removes these synapses too fast, leading to the development of the disorder."
Source: http://parentingspecialneeds.org/article/3749
It goes on to discuss depression.
This is why it's so unfair to speak derogatorily about teenagers, they cannot help that their brains are not fully developed, especially their frontal lobe. Parents tend to think once a child appears grown, they are also fully developed, but they are not, and cannot be expected to act like adults. Studies have shown they cannot rationalize or modulate emotions or understand risks and consequences like an adult.
Any thoughts?
Could it be that many of the problems & the violence in the world is committed by adults who had faulty synapses in brain development as teenagers? (not joking) All experiences & exposures matter and affect how brains develop -- that's what I've concluded thus far.
Our brains aren't fully developed until age 25. By that time, much has occurred that can alter brain development (drugs, alcohol, injuries from sports, emotional struggles, etc.). Anyway, here's an excerpt & the article that contains the links:
"As the idea of a teenage immature brain becomes more widely accepted, it’s natural to wonder whether or not the fact that the brain is still immature during the teenage years contributes to the development of childhood brain disorders. Evidence supporting this idea certainly exists, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
The NIMH states that studies continue to show that developmental disorders seem to have a root cause in the time when the brain is still developing. Studies are continuing and scientists are paying particular attention to the brains of teenagers when trying to find the reason why mental illnesses and developmental disorders occur."
A teenager’s brain may be only 80% developed, as extra, unconnected synapses in the teen’s brain seem to block the ability of the youngster to sometimes make judgments and to think rationally. As the brain continues to develop while the teenager moves into young adulthood, these synapses disappear in most teenagers.
Because some psychological disorders begin to develop during the teenage years, it’s possible that disorders like bipolar affective disorder are related to the immature brain and the extra synapses. Perhaps the brain removes these synapses too fast, leading to the development of the disorder."
Source: http://parentingspecialneeds.org/article/3749
It goes on to discuss depression.
Any thoughts?
you're right! haha... don't know why
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