Answer:
Central idea: The human brain keeps growing throughout the teenage years, and this growth impacts behavior.
Supporting details:
Scientists believe that the loss of synapses as a child matures is a part of the process by which the brain becomes more efficient.
The volume of gray matter in the brain reaches a high point during adolescence; it isn’t until the early 20s that the brain resembles an adult brain.
One interpretation of all these findings is that in teenagers the parts of the brain involved in emotional responses are very active, even more so than in adults. The parts of the teenage brain involved in keeping emotional, impulsive responses in check are still being developed.
Research on the brain may help adults (particularly caregivers) understand the importance of creating an environment in which teenagers can explore and experiment, while helping them avoid behavior that is destructive to themselves and others.
Summary:
The article’s main point is that the brain is still changing and growing a lot during the teenage years. And this change impacts behavior. Scientists have studied the brain by doing brain scans, and they have found that the outer layer of the brain is still growing and changing during adolescence. The scans show that this layer of the brain doesn’t stop growing until people reach their early 20s. The article then says that these changes might be related to risky behavior in teens. That’s because teenage brains have already developed the areas that are involved in feeling emotions, but the areas that would help you control emotions are not developed. Finally, the article says that more research should be done on the teenage brain. This research might be helpful in understanding why teens act the way they do.
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