Teenage Brain Development
This part of the brain, responsible for decision-making and impulse control, is not fully developed until the mid-20s.
The prefrontal cortex
Teens take more risks not because they underestimate dangers but because they value this more than adults do.
Reward
This "R-word" describes the brain's ability to bounce back from difficult situations, a skill that is heavily developed during the adolescent years.
Resilience
This hormone makes you feel sleepy, but in teens, it is released about two hours later than in adults.
Melatonin
These chemical messengers are responsible for the sudden growth spurts and skin changes during puberty.
Hormones
This brain chemical, which increases during adolescence, is responsible for the heightened reward-seeking behavior in teens.
Dopamine
Studies show that teens take more risks when they are in the presence of these individuals.
Their peers / friends
Because the emotional brain matures before the logical brain, teenagers are statistically more likely to engage in these types of activities, which provide an instant thrill.
Risky / Impulsive behaviours
Scientists say teenagers actually need this many hours of sleep each night for peak brain function.
8 to 10 hours
This word describes the period of life when a child’s body matures into an adult's.
Puberty
This almond-shaped part of the brain is the "emotional alarm" and is hyper-active in teens, causing mood swings.
The Amygdala
Evolutionarily, teens take risks so they can learn to become this—meaning they can take care of themselves.
Independent
While a little bit of this helps you perform in a sports meet, chronic levels of it can actually shrink the memory-forming part of a teenager's brain (the Hippocampus).
Stress
This "internal clock" shifts during puberty, making teens want to stay up late and wake up late.
The Circadian Rhythm
Often called the "stress hormone," levels of this can skyrocket in teens during exams or social conflict.
Cortisol
This process strengthens the most-used neural connections while eliminating weaker ones, making the brain more efficient.
Synaptic pruning
This is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another, which develops significantly in the Sec 2 years.
Empathy
This is the scientific term for why teens feel emotions—both good and bad—much more intensely than adults or younger children.
Hyper-excitability (or Emotional Intensity)
Lack of sleep in teens is most likely to affect this specific skill needed for exams (and lessons).
Concentration (or Memory)
This is the pathway hormones use to travel slowly through the body. This means the effects are slower but longer-lasting.
Bloodstream
The part of the brain involved in memory and learning, which develops stronger connections with the frontal areas during adolescence, is called this.
The hippocampus
This ability to resist an impulse, like looking at a flashing light in a lab test, is still developing in teens.
Response Inhibition
This term describes the brain's ability to change and adapt. While it's great for learning, it also makes the teen brain more vulnerable to forming bad habits or addictions.
Neuroplasticity
This two-word term describes the exhaustion students feel on Monday mornings caused by the massive shift in sleep schedules between school nights and the weekend.
Social Jetlag
This hormone, often called the "bonding chemical," increases significantly during puberty and makes teenagers highly sensitive to social acceptance, peer approval, and loneliness.
Oxytocin