Uncharacteristic behavior of teens... Or is it, characteristic?
Many times I have heard parents say, "This is so uncharacteristic of him!" When trying to explain the rude and snippy behavior of their teenage child to their parental peers. "One day, he is offering to help and is kind, and the next he wants nothing to do with me!"
Though, is this really that "uncharacteristic"? Until recently, neuroscientists believed that the human brain was done developing by the time a child reached puberty. Thanks to modern-day technology, scientists have discovered the adolescent brain is far from completing maturity, and may not even be complete until they have reached their early 20's.
Well, it's obvious to all teachers and counselors of adolescent children, that these children are not done "learning," yet. "The brain is a work in progress," says Sandra Witleston, a neuroscientist at McMaster University in Ontario. One of the last processes of the brain to be completed is the area that is in charge of making sound decisions and calming emotions (the prefrontal cortex). At about the age of 12, a process called "pruning" takes place in the brain. This is when the brain lets certain synapses "die off", and nourish the ones that are useful. This also plays a role in being able to think more efficiently.
It's no surprise to me with all the constant changes our bodies are going through as we grow into adulthood, that our emotions are inconsistant--we are "downloading" so much information daily and weeding through what is necessary to move on, just as computers do. Even computers tend to "freeze up" and have to reboot. So, I think it's only human to have emotional malfunctions.
This area of study has me wanting to further explore how the brains of those with learning disabilities and mental retardation lose their process of elimination and growth--where did things go wrong in development? What processes were skipped?
INTERESTING! I didn't even think about the connection between our development of our brain and having learning disorders! I was just writing in Kylee's blog that I would love to see the brain of a super rebellious teenager and a teenager that "follows the rules". Just to see what differences they have and what could be done to help encourage the rebellious types to not be so rebellious? Or at least not so dramatic. I can speak from experience, I was definitely a dramatic, rebellious teenager and I'm super surprised my mother doesn't have a full head of gray hair thanks to me.
ReplyDeletehaha! Great point. I'd like to see those images, too.
ReplyDeleteTo Kendra, I think I would be more interested in seeing how each persons blood chemistry was different, if at all. The brain should more or less look the same unless it is diseased, but the chemicals that pulse through the body - and it what percentages - could make a huge difference in how each behaves.
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