Kevin Leehey M.D.Child, Adolescent, and Adult Psychiatry

Board Certified

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Salpointe Catholic High School Community of ConcernWelcome Teachers !

What’s Brain Got To Do With It ?

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Brain Development

If a child is not played with, interacted with, nurtured, exposed to stimuli, or is rarely touched he/she will develop a 25% smaller brain.

Experiences shape and reshape the structure of the brain.

By the time a child is 6, his or her brain is 90 to 95 % of adult size.

Between age 6 and 12 neurons grow bushier by each neuron adding dozens of connections based on what is reinforced by learning and experience. This is why such things as learning a second language, riding a bike, swimming, learning to play a piano, or to throw a ball are easier when young and can last a lifetime.

Neuron connections peak at 11 in girls and 12 to 13 in boys. Unused connections are further pruned out in the teen years at the same time the white matter protective coating around neurons called Myelin Sheath cells increase.

The brain is becoming more efficient but also losing its raw potential for learning and ability to recover from trauma, drugs, alcohol, or injury.

Synapses that are used often are kept and reinforced.

Those that are not used are lost.

How you spend your time and the experiences you have or don’t have are critical.

Although hormones do play an important role and do affect the brain, the main explanation for the natural lability and moodiness of our teen years is brain development, or as some would say, the lack of brain development.

The part of the brain that makes teens responsible is still under construction. Brain development proceeds from back to front and bottom to top. The Frontal Lobe, which controls impulses, motivation, and judgement is the last to develop.Teen’s inconsistent Melatonin production contributes to irregular sleep patterns.

Teens do best with 8 to 10 hours sleep, few get it; and phase shift. REM occurs about every 90 minutes. REMs get longer and deep sleep shorter overnight. REM key for neurotransmitters and memory. Naps lack REM.

Dyslexia

Dys = abnormal

Lexia = reading

The left side of the brain is shown.

Source: Shaywitz – Overcoming Dyslexia

Brain Systems for Reading

Source: Shaywitz – Overcoming Dyslexia

A Neural Signature for DyslexiaUnderactivation of Neural Systems in the Back of the Brain

Source: Shaywitz – Overcoming Dyslexia

Dyslexia

Phonological disorder

#1 learning disorder; #1 impact

Oh yeah, a word about ADHD

Evolution

A family story

What you do over and over becomes hardwired…

PiagetStages of Cognitive Development

Sensory - motor

Pre-operational

Concrete Operations

Formal (abstract) Operations

The teen brain is more vulnerable to the stimulating, damaging, and addicting effects of nicotine, alcohol, and other drugs.

One in three teens who start smoking as a teen will die of a tobacco related disease. 90% of adult smokers began as teens. Almost 45% of kids who start drinking alcohol by 13 will become alcoholic, while only 10% of those who wait till 21 will.Substance use in youth thus becomes hard wired in as a tendency for life. This is in addition to any genetic predisposition.

Healthy Subject watching video of using

Substance abuser in remission watching

video of using

Bad things can happen to Good kids

Typically people don’t say, “I think I’ll get a DUI and ruin lots of lives today.”

No one says or thinks, “Gee, today I’m gonna drink, smoke, or use a drug so I can become an addict.”

Causes of death ages 15-24 :

Causes of death ages 15-24 : Accidents -primarily motor vehicle, many are substance impaired. Suicide Homicide

These 3 account for 75% of all deaths in our kids. Suicide and homicide are mostly by guns and many are substance impaired.

Twenty-five is the best estimate for when the brain is reasonably fully mature.

Actual Causes of Preventable Deaths

Opiates #1 New Use

2,1502,063

1,112977

860 845 783

267 26491 69

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

Pain relievers

MarijuanaTranquilizers

CocaineEcstasyStimulants

InhalantsSedatives

LSDHeroin

PCP

Type of drug

Number of new users (in thousands)

Opiates and more…

Vicodin, percodan, percocette, etcOxycontin < $1/ mg

HEROIN - smoked, foil, $40/gram, IV

“Triple C’s”, “DXM”, Robitussin, dextromethorphan“Salvia”, “Head”+ some Smoke shops; fake urine, etcADHD medicine abuse, stimulantsMeth, Crystal, methamphetamineSoma, muscle relaxersEcstasy, “club drugs”, hallucinogens, PCP Hookah, Shisha energy drinks

Drug Use in Past Month, Ages 12 to 17

11.6%

10.6%

9.8%

11.2%

9.9%

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Teens continue 4-year drop in use: Marijuana was the substance of choice (6.7%), followed by nonmedical use of prescription drugs (3.3%), inhalants (1.3%), hallucinogens (0.7%) and cocaine (0.4%).

Drug use in past month, ages 50 to 54

4.8%

3.4%

6.0%

3.9%

5.2%

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Older adults still using: Drug use among adults ages 50 to 54 rose 76% from 2002 to 2006. Rather than indicating new users, the increase likely reflects holdover from drug use established in the 1970s.

Tobacco kills by far more than all drugs and alcohol together.Youth drink to get drunk - binge on as much as possible as fast as possible.60% HS seniors have had intercourse.50% HS seniors drink regularly.25% HS seniors smoke cigarettes.20% HS seniors use other drugs50% teens will try other drugs by end of HS

Tips for ParentsDon’t leave town and leave your teen home alone.Cell phones make “flash” parties possible.Don’t trust sleepovers and campouts.Call other parents.If you’re the host check what’s up.Have your teen wake you up when they come home.Seat belts, air bags, slower speeds, less passengers, home before midnight, and safer cars save lives.If you want your kids to sleep have them turn in the phone, game player, and computer an hour before bedtime.

More Tips for Parents :Teen’s main source for alcohol and prescription medicines to abuse is your home and their friends’ homes.If you want your kids to come out of their rooms keep the electronics out.Internet and gaming are best monitored out of their bedrooms.2% of us over age 40 smoke marijuana daily.Teens know homes where parents allow or give alcohol, “weed”, other drugs, or sex to your kids.Say “No”, Don’t try to be the “Cool” parents, and don’t try to be your kids’ “Best Friends” !Read the C of C booklet - it’s very useful !

Thank you and good luck…

Kevin Leehey M.D.

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