“Teen Brain Matters” John Coleman

Why does this matter? We used to think the brain had stopped developing at the end of childhood; We have learnt that there is major change at this time; This change in our thinking is the result of scanning; New knowledge had altered the way we understand young people.

The human brain is probably the most complex entity in nature; There are approximately 100 billion nerve cells, or neurons, in the human brain; We are at the very beginning of an exciting journey; Technology is advancing at an incredible rate; But we have a long way to go!

I will show you a simple picture of the brain; Note particularly these three key areas: The prefrontal cortex (thinking and reasoning) The amygdala (emotion, sensation and arousal) The hippocampus (memory)

The brain matures in all areas; The brain matures from back to front; There is an increase in grey matter at the end of childhood, followed by pruning; There is greater connectivity across the brain; The hormone balance undergoes upheaval and alteration.

There is a major alteration in the hormone balance during adolescence; There are many hormones that influence brain function, and thus behaviour; There is a major alteration in the hormone balance during adolescence; A few examples: The sex hormones Cortisol Serotonin Dopamine Melatonin

Melatonin release is delayed in most teenagers; This can lead to loss of sleep; Sleep deficit can impact on learning and behaviour; Sleep matters for learning – memory consolidation; Teenagers not getting enough sleep is a matter for concern.

Maturity leads to: Connectivity: Abstract thinking Better memory Greater vocabulary Scientific reasoning Better communication skills Connectivity: Two halves of the brain work better The individual is able to use more parts of the brain.

Upheaval within the brain: Confusion Uncertainty Not knowing what to think or how to decide Hormone balance upset: Mood swings Irritability Wanting to have fun Keen to take risks.

There are billions of nerve cells, or neurons; These are connected by nerve fibres; Impulses, or messages, are passed around the brain along these fibres.

The brain has a way of regulating the way the messages pass around the brain; This is done by what are called chemical messengers; These are located in tiny gaps in the nerve fibres; This gap is called a synapse It works to shut down impulses as well as send them along to the next nerve cell.

You can imagine the brain a bit like a railway network; A rail network could not function without a signalling system; Without a signalling system the trains would all bump into each other; It is exactly the same in the brain; Some messages have to be inhibited, otherwise the brain would simply seize up.

There is an area that is especially active in social relationships; New skills develop at this time – empathy and perspective-taking; Face recognition and impression-formation develop; Some deficits arise, such as preoccupation with the self; Teenagers are much influenced by peers at this stage.

This is a critical period, so the environment matters; Adults are a key element of the environment; Here are some roles for adults; Understanding Managing the hormone balance “Beefing up” the prefrontal cortex Assisting with good routines

1. Sarah Jayne Blakemore’s TED talk at www. TED 1. Sarah Jayne Blakemore’s TED talk at www.TED.com “The mysterious workings of the adolescent brain” 2. The Wellcome Trust “Neuroscience and education programme” www.wellcome.ac.uk 3. My Teen Brain is at www.hertsdirect.org/myteenbrain

Discuss this question: “How can learning about brain development help us understand teenage behaviour?”