Adolescent Brain Development

In her teenage brain talk Dr. Adriana Galvan reveals some of the insights made in her research studying the adolescent brain.

While most research is primarily concerned with looking at the front part of the brain, also known as the prefrontal cortex, Dr. Galvan's teenage brain talk looks at a deeper region of the brain called the striatum. As the "key component of the reward system" the striatum plays an integral part in how we respond to something we like. Dr. Galvan's research showed that compared to adults and kids, a teenager's striatum had a more extreme reaction to any positive stimulus.

While Dr. Adriana Galvan's research shows that teenagers are indeed more prone to risky behaviors, it also shows that teenagers should take the opportunity their teenage brain offers them, and meet new people and explore new ideas and creative ways of thinking. Once their prefrontal cortex fully develops in their mid-twenties, they will be less stimulated by new experiences.