https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sy0aAaYgh0g
– [Narrator] Legally, you’re considered an adult when you turn 18.00:00:03
But from the neuroscience perspective, your brain is really still developing.
00:00:06
(music) – [Dr. Adriana Galván] And the current literature suggests that it’s about around age 25 or so is when the brain finishes the period of adolescence. – [Narrator] This is Dr. Adriana Galván and she runs the Developmental Neuroscience Lab at UCLA. The brain develops from the back to the front, so the prefrontal cortex is the last region to fully develop. – [Dr. Adriana Galván] The prefrontal cortex is the part of the brain you need to make good decisions, to think about the future, think about consequences. – [Narrator] You can kind of think of it like the Spock of the brain: logical, calm, and collected. And then deeper in the brain, there are these emotional systems, like the limbic system that are more interested in immediate gratification. They’re sort of like Captain Kirk, a risk taker, and a bit emotional.
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(Captain Kirk screaming) (dramatic music) (Crashing sound) During the teenage years, the limbic system develops really quickly and the prefrontal cortex is trying to catch up. Eventually, as individuals become adults, the prefrontal cortex will increasingly have more influence over behavior than the impulsive part of the brain.
00:01:06
So without a fully developed prefrontal cortex, you can kind of see why teens might be more impulsive (Crash / clattering sound) or just worry less about future consequences. But don’t underestimate teenagers. This video is actually part of a longer episode all about the teen brain and how it has an evolutionary advantage.
00:01:23
We’ve got a link to the video in the description. And if you found this video useful, give us a like. It will help other people find us.
Source : Youtube
