Understanding Adolescent Brain Development

What are the main functions of the prefrontal cortex, and why is it significant during adolescence?

• Regulating heart rate and breathing

• Decision-making, planning, and impulse control

• Processing visual information

• Controlling muscle movements

How does the amygdala’s role in emotional responses affect teenage behavior?

• It makes teenagers more logical and less emotional

• It causes teenagers to have heightened emotional responses

• It reduces the ability to feel emotions

• It enhances memory recall

Explain why the teenage brain is more prone to risk-taking compared to an adult brain.

• The prefrontal cortex is fully developed in teenagers

• The amygdala is less active in teenagers

• The prefrontal cortex is still developing, leading to less impulse control

• Teenagers have a lower level of hormones

What is neuroplasticity, and how does it relate to learning and development during adolescence?

• The brain's ability to change and adapt, enhancing learning and development

• The brain's inability to change, hindering learning

• The process of brain cells dying

• The fixed structure of the brain

Describe how the structure of the teenage brain differs from that of an adult brain.

• The teenage brain has more developed synapses

• The teenage brain has a fully developed prefrontal cortex

• The teenage brain has more gray matter and is still undergoing synaptic pruning

• The teenage brain has less white matter

Why are teenagers more likely to engage in impulsive behavior, and how does brain development play a role in this?

• The prefrontal cortex is fully developed, leading to impulsive behavior

• The prefrontal cortex is still developing, leading to less impulse control

• The amygdala is less active, reducing emotional responses

• The brain is less responsive to rewards

How does the development of the prefrontal cortex impact decision-making and planning in teens?

• It enhances decision-making and planning skills

• It has no impact on decision-making

• It reduces the ability to make decisions

• It causes teens to rely solely on emotions

Discuss the role of synaptic pruning during adolescence and how it affects cognitive efficiency.

• Synaptic pruning increases the number of synapses, reducing efficiency

• Synaptic pruning eliminates unused synapses, improving efficiency

• Synaptic pruning has no effect on cognitive efficiency

• Synaptic pruning creates new synapses, decreasing efficiency

How do changes in the brain during adolescence support the development of abstract thinking and reasoning skills?

• The brain becomes less flexible, hindering abstract thinking

• The brain's structure remains unchanged

• The development of the prefrontal cortex supports abstract thinking

• The amygdala becomes more dominant

What factors can enhance or hinder cognitive development during adolescence?

• Only genetic factors

• Environmental factors, such as education and social interactions

• Only physical exercise

• None of the above