Lesson 5 - 2025-01-24 - The Adolescent Brain Flashcards
How many neurons does the brain have? How many Connections?
86 BIllion
About a quadrillion
Describe the synaptic pruning process
There are more neurons available at birth than we will ever use throughout our life. (Overproduction - Birth)
If the neurons aren’t used, they are ‘cut’
Occurs during the first 5 yrs
______ occurs at birth, and again just before puberty
Neuron overproduction
What happens to size of brain from Birth to Adulthood?
Doubles in size
surface area greatly increases (due to increased folds)
What does mylenation do in the brain
increases speed of neuron transfer
Makes AXONs more efficient (by 100 times!)
Insulates connections and prevents signals from crossing
is not fully mylenated until the third decade of life?
The cabling of prefrontal cortex and related regions
The prefrontal cortex’s cognitive functions include:
PEPSI AW SCHOO
Prioritizing
Executive function
Planning
Strategizing
Impulse Control
Attention allocation
Working memory workspace
Trouble with Behaviour:
Starting appropriate behaviour
Changing behaviour
Halting activities
Oppressing Inappropriate behaviour
Organizing ideas
Dopamine has been found to be critical for
Focusing attention
Mature judgement capacity
Learning Capacity
Goal pursuit
Drug exposure changes can affect development by
Changing the way the brain experiences reward.
Changing or delaying development
When undergoing an ______, adult responses are more intellectual than teens at _______
FMRI
Recognizing emotions
The role of the Amygdala is to
process emotional information
Especially fear.
Compared to adults, adolescents are more likely to
Be impulsive
Misread or misinterpret social cues and emotions
Get into accidents
Fight
Engage in dangerous or risky behaviour
Compared to adults, adolescents are less likely to
Think before they act
Pause and consider consequences
Change dangerous or inappropriate behaviours
