Friday, December 24, 2010

The Teenage Brain



Here's an interesting clip from an article I found on the Harvard Magazine online.  It helps to explain why some kids can seem so smart and act so... well, unsmart.  Your teenagers lack of judgement isn't always because they're just plain irresponsible or that they don't care, it could very well be the fact that their brain hasn't yet developed to full capacity and shouldn't be entrusted with many adult tasks quite yet.  For you hovering moms that just can't stop watching and making sure your child is well and safe, here's some proof that your instincts just may be more on target than everyone tells you.  

Your teenage daughter gets top marks in school, captains the debate team, and volunteers at a shelter for homeless people. But while driving the family car, she text-messages her best friend and rear-ends another vehicle.

How can teens be so clever, accomplished, and responsible—and reckless at the same time? Easily, according to two physicians at Children’s Hospital Boston and Harvard Medical School (HMS) who have been exploring the unique structure and chemistry of the adolescent brain. “The teenage brain is not just an adult brain with fewer miles on it,” says Frances E. Jensen, a professor of neurology. “It’s a paradoxical time of development. These are people with very sharp brains, but they’re not quite sure what to do with them.”

Research during the past 10 years, powered by technology such as functional magnetic resonance imaging, has revealed that young brains have both fast-growing synapses and sections that remain unconnected. This leaves teens easily influenced by their environment and more prone to impulsive behavior, even without the impact of souped-up hormones and any genetic or family predispositions.


There are also gender differences in brain development. As Drs. Urion and Jensen explain, the part of our brain that processes information expands during childhood and then begins to thin, peaking in girls at roughly 12 to 14 years old and in boys about two years later. This suggests that girls and boys may be ready to absorb challenging material at different stages, and that schools may be missing opportunities to reach them.




24 comments:

Revolted_Manila said...

This is interesting fact Mrs. Evelyn. This information could help parents/teens guardians to understand how they should give task to their teens and what to expect on them.

Thanks Mrs. Evelyn.

Happy Holidays.

God bless.


Cindy from Manila

Unknown said...

I like this explaination, it reveals so much about teenagers. It really could help a lot of parents...

Adrianne Escarraman said...

This is very catchy and interesting. This info will help alot of those youth in my church, and all there parents. And this is even helpful for all of us.. Thankz!!!

(ADRIANNE ESCARRAMAN, ALTO MANHATTAN, NY)

Sibon Phiri said...

Very interesting article Mrs Evelyn. It makes sense now. Many times I came across some really intelligent young people who are smart, academically speaking but on the other side do some really daft things and behave appropriately. I have always heard the girls develop quicker than boys too.

Natalia said...

Thanks Mrs. Evelyn you always put very helpful and interesting articles, and I think is so truth about teenagers, I think this can be a good guide for parents.

Bianca said...

This is so true.. I'm a teenager and this helps me understand and help other teens in my youth group.

Anonymous said...

This is good information for the parents and the teenagers. So they can understand how the teenage brain is in fact.

Izamar Romero said...

this helps eplain things

Vitor Cruz said...

Very useful. I'm also raising a son and almost a teenager.

Raquel Parras said...

It makes us understand more about children and to help them better...***

Tania said...

This is very useful information that I didnt consider before. Although I was a tribe leader in YPG as a teenager, I was at a different spiritual level that my tribe members, so I didnt see it the way this blog describes. I will definetely keep this in mind next time.

Edith said...

Wow, a bit funny. Maybe that's why common sense isn't so common. lol

Betty said...

Thanks for the blog post and believe it has helped many people.Sometimes when you look at teens you wonder what is going on in their world.Some of them are really good kids around their family but they have a different personality when they go out.Some are really inteligent but somewhere along the line they do things like they don't have brains.I can imagine how it feels to have a teenager.At least now I know why some they behave that way.

Betty
UK

Unknown said...

Very Interesting the Statistics! It's always interesting to know the why behind the choices that very intelligient teenagers make, because it's true there needs to be a balance between smart to make correct decisons as well as smart to resist influences, IN this workld it's a challange for teenagers to resist worly influences, now i understand why sometimes bright teenagers make the dumest mistakes..

karina tellez said...

Hello Mrs.Evelyn,

Thanks for this message! It really helps to know this and will help many parents. Thanks again!

roseofanda said...

Hi Mrs. Evelyn

Thank you so much for this blog. Its very full of information.
And now i understand why some are intelligent in something yet they are not good on other thing.

It also will help me to understand other teenager like me..

Thank you Mrs. Evelyn
God bless

-rose ofanda
Manila, Philippines

Anonymous said...

yes very full of information
for me as a teenage i know why some people are so very intelligent to other things,i have many know people that one are so smart in academics but he is loser in some other things.
but now i know the answer ..
thank you for this blog ..

Jenny Diego said...

It really helps for young youth to know and understand this informations.. it will be a very good advice for the teenagers and the parents..

Jenny Diego said...

This is really nice and interesting for all the youth like me.. and also for all the guardians.this is really a good guide for all.

Marsha said...

This information explains a lot about young people, it helps me to better communicate with younger people, because sometimes we expect them to be on the same level as us, but they're not quite develop yet, so i have to communicate on their level. very useful information thanks Ms Evelyn

Triana ! said...

thanyou so much its very interesting to hear about this i am so fascinated thanyou so much i didnt know much but now i do.

REVIVE LOOK AMERICA said...

I'm woman I grew up with out my father and I can tell even my mom did good job.. when I saw my friends hugging and kissing by their fathers. very deep inside me I desired to feel pamper by my father.. good post

Susan Yeboah said...

This is a very interesting article. This explains a lot.

Chrissy2497 said...

Ms. Evelyn, they left out the part that causes them to have that deer in the head lights look when asked to do something. They sould redo that image b/c I know that has to be in there somewhere..... Ha ha ha!!