Which 2 areas of the brain become fully developed during puberty?

The development and maturation of the prefrontal cortex occurs primarily during adolescence and is fully accomplished at the age of 25 years. The development of the prefrontal cortex is very important for complex behavioral performance, as this region of the brain helps accomplish executive brain functions.

How does a teenager’s brain change during this stage of their development?

During adolescence, myelination and synaptic pruning in the prefrontal cortex increase s , improving the efficiency of information processing, and neural connections between the prefrontal cortex and other regions of the brain are strengthened. However, this growth takes time and the growth is uneven.

What happens to the hippocampus during adolescence?

The hippocampus is particularly altered during adolescent development, as an increased number of granule cells and overall increased volume of the hippocampal layers has been demonstrated in rodents during the adolescent period.

When do teenage brains fully develop?

age 25
The rational part of a teen’s brain isn’t fully developed and won’t be until age 25 or so. In fact, recent research has found that adult and teen brains work differently. Adults think with the prefrontal cortex, the brain’s rational part.

How does the prefrontal cortex develop?

The prefrontal cortex undergoes maturation during childhood with a reduction of synaptic and neuronal density, a growth of dendrites, and an increase in white matter volume. With these neuroanatomical changes, neural networks construct appropriate for complex cognitive processing.

Is the teenage brain fully developed?

Though the brain may be done growing in size, it does not finish developing and maturing until the mid- to late 20s. The front part of the brain, called the prefrontal cortex, is one of the last brain regions to mature.

How do drugs affect a developing brain?

When a young person uses drugs, their delicate balance of neurotransmitters is lost, and the reward pathways of the brain are altered. For example, many drugs unnaturally deplete the brain’s production of dopamine, serotonin and endorphins (the chemicals that produce happiness and pleasure).

Why do teens learn faster?

As the brain develops, there is enhanced synaptic plasticity—teens learn faster and memories last longer. Each region of the brain is more active in childhood and adolescence than it will be later in life. They are faster learners because they build synapses (connections in the brain) faster.