Adolescence Flashcards
List the physical changes that begin puberty
growth spurt, pubic hair, underarm hair, breasts, menstruation, facial hair
summarise the surprising changes in brain development during adolescence.
Overproduction of synaptic connections or synaptic exuberance. Myelination and growth of the cerebellum
oestrogens
female sex hormone
androgens
male sex hormone
oestradiol
a type of oestrogen that is important in girls for pubertal development
testosterone
androgen most important for pubertal development in boys
true or false - males and females produce both oestradiol and testosterone?
true
are oestradiol and testosterone the same for boys and girls throughout childhood?
yes, this changes during puberty
primary sex characteristics
production of eggs and sperm and the development of sex organs
true or false - females are born with all the ova they will ever have?
true - around 300,000 by puberty
menarche
first menstrual period
spermarche
first ejaculation
how many sperm in a typical male ejaculation
100-300 million
how many ova do females produce over their reproductive lives?
400
secondary sex characteristics
growth of pubic hair, lowering of voice etc
where is overproduction of synaptic neurons concentrated in adolescence
frontal lobes
what age does overproduction of synaptic neurons occur
11 or 12
synaptic pruning
occurs in the years that follow overproduction
how much brain volume is lost between ages of 12 to 20 due to synaptic pruning?
7-10%
myelin
A blanket of fat wrapped around the central part of a neuron, increasing the speed of the electrical system.
myelination
was though to to be finished prior to puberty but has now been found to continue into teens
what are the negatives of myelination and synaptic pruning
makes brain functioning less flexible and changeable
What was the most surprising find that researchers found studying brain development in adolescence
the cerebellum continues to grow
cerebellum
lower part of the brain beneath the cortex was thought to be involved in basic functions such as movement but now research shows that is involved in higher functions like maths, music, decision making, social skills and understanding humour.