Teenage Brain Summary

Many believe that one matures once puberty is reached, but this is incorrect. Although one has reached puberty, the brain has still not fully developed. Throughout one’s teenage years, the brain continues to develop until a certain age is reached. By reading this article, one learns about the teen brain. The article talks about the two networks that form the brain, and explains their function during adolescence.

The article “The amazing teen brain”, gives one an understanding of how the teen brain functions. Giedd (2015) explains how the teenage brain is not fully developed, but rather stuck between child and adult. To begin, he explains how during one’s teenage years, the brain is able to take big steps towards socialization, but could

He explains that the later puberty starts, the greater the mismatch will be between the two networks; the limbic region and the prefrontal cortex. By reading this article one learns that the reason why teens behave the way they do to the mismatch of the development of the two networks. The earlier a teenager reaches puberty, the longer it will take for them to mature since the prefrontal cortex develops in their early twenties. Giedd (2015) also informs us that in the seventies, it was believed that adulthood was reached once a person reaches puberty, but today many psychologists believe that adolescence is not biological. The number one cause of deaths in adolescents is car accidents. The second cause is homicide, and the third, suicide. These causes of teenage deaths can be avoided by interventions from parents, teachers, and friends. Due to the fact that the teenage brain is in the process of developing, by intervening, a teenager’s life can be changed. Giedd (2015) also reminds is that nowadays, technology has an impact on a teenager’s life. For instance, there is a lot of information on the internet, but quantity overpowers quality. Teenagers should be very careful when reading this vast information that they are exposed to because it could either lead to a path of success or

I have come to the realization that I can relate to everything that this article discusses. For instance, the fact that peer pressure, and risk taking is a normal thing seen in all teenagers, caused by the limbic region. I also realized that there comes a time during your teenage years where you might give into smoking, and drinking alcohol which you will either influence or get influenced to do. There also comes a time where you start realizing that there are certain people you no longer want in your life. The time where you start telling the difference between friends, acquaintances, enemies, and family, which is discussed in the article. By reading this article, I learned things I did not know, such as the two networks that formed the brain and what each one of them controlled. I also learned that the prefrontal cortex only developed in one’s early twenties. Throughout my teenage years, I have rebelled against my parents, I have got influenced by peers, and I have encountered in risk taking. I had to deal with the consequences of each. As we teenagers grow, and as our brains continue to develop, we mature with time. I no longer rebel against my parents, but instead we have learned to compromise. As for peer pressure, I got influenced in trying a cigarette, which lead me to become a smoker, and I am now facing my consequences. In the past five years I have had countless amount