Inside the Teen Brain
Behavior can be baffling when young minds are taking shape
The best news for parents is that the vast majority of kids will make it through adolescence with few permanent scars, except perhaps the occasional hole through a bellybutton. New research shows that most children emerge from adolescence physically and emotionally intact--although their parents will probably never be the same. Mary Scott, 48, of Port Jefferson, N.Y., is a veteran of teenage wars: She's the mother of two adolescents and a 22-year-old. "Occasionally they do things that are so incredibly selfish, it's unbelievable," she says. On the other hand, Scott adds, "If they didn't drive you crazy, they'd never leave [the nest]." Maybe adolescence is nature's way of forcing children to grow up.
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The teen brain-a work in progress
Researchers once thought that brain development was complete by puberty. Now they know that it continues during the teenage years.
Prefrontal cortex
This area acts as the brain's traffic cop, coordinating processing among its competent parts and modulating emotional responses. In teens, the prefrontal cortex isn't yet equipped to control emotions and make good judgments.
Limbic system
This ring-shaped area deep within the brain generates primal emotions such as fear and rage. During puberty surging hormones cause the amygdala to swell, particularly in boys. This may intensify aggression.
[Illustration labels]: Limbic system; Prefrontal cortex; Amygdala
Sources: American Medical Association Encyclopedia of Medicine, The Human Body
With Roberta Hotinski, Bellamy Pailthorp, Erin Ragan and Kathleen Wong
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