The adolescent brain:risks and opportunitiesEveline Crone

April 2016

|

What defines adolescence?

The adolescent brain: risks and opportunities 2

Peers Risk taking

Creativity Peer pressure

Defining norms

|

Adolescence, when does it start?

The adolescent brain: risks and opportunities 3

And when does it end…?

|

Adolescence

The adolescent brain: risks and opportunities 4

Adolescence = growing up to become a mature member of our society

|

Changes in sleep patterns

The adolescent brain: risks and opportunities 5

Mor

ning

per

son girls

boys

| The adolescent brain: risks and opportunities 6

|

What changes in the brain?

The adolescent brain: risks and opportunities 7

Research lab Leiden

|

Neurons and connections

The adolescent brain: risks and opportunities 8

Child Adolescent Adult

|

Learning and creativityChanges in adolescence:

The adolescent brain: risks and opportunities 9

Adolescents improve in:• Speed of processing• Reasoning• Creativity• …….

|

Delay of gratificationThe ability to resist the temptation for an immediate reward and wait for a later reward

The adolescent brain: risks and opportunities 10

5 euros now?or

10 euros in 2 days?

Area

und

er th

e cu

rve

(AU

C)

|

Why do adolescents take risks?

The adolescent brain: risks and opportunities 11

|

Risky behavior across the life span

The adolescent brain: risks and opportunities 12

Steinberg 2012

|

Risk-taking in the brain

The adolescent brain: risks and opportunities 13

Nelson et al., 2005, Psych Med.

|

Brain activity after winning money

The adolescent brain: risks and opportunities 14

8/9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18-250

0.5

1

1.5

2

Age

Para

met

er e

stim

ates

W

in –

Lose

for S

elf

In adolescence: to rewards STRONGER brain responses

|

Changes in testosterone

The adolescent brain: risks and opportunities 15

|

Testosterone and risk-taking

The adolescent brain: risks and opportunities 16

Gemaakt door Raoul Grasman

|

Why do young people take more risks?Only explaining what risks are is not sufficient

The adolescent brain: risks and opportunities 17

|

Adolescence RisksOpportunities

The adolescent brain: risks and opportunities 18

|

Thank you for your attention

The adolescent brain: risks and opportunities 19