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"The study of the human brain and its disease remains one of the greatest scientific and philosophical challenges ever undertaken" - Floyd E. Boom, 2007
The adolescent brain is best described as a work in progress. Our brains are about 90-95% of their maximum size by the time we are 6 years old, but they are definitely not finished changing! Massive changes continue to occur over the next 15-20 years, as connections within the brain are strengthened and refined. Adolescent brain development can be divided into three processes: proliferation, pruning and myelination.
Many adolescent behaviors are a direct result of brain changes, and are completely normal! These include changes in sleep patterns, changes in attention/motivation, and changes in risk-taking behaviours. The brain matures in a back-to-front pattern, and the parts that are LAST to mature are those associated with planning, organization, impulse control, judgment and reasoning!
