The Amazing Teen Brain Summary

Neurons transmit information to each other and to muscles, organs and glands. The nerve impulse is sent from the axon of one neuron to the dendrite of another neuron. The neuromuscular junction as labeled in Part A of this assignment, shows that there is a space between the axon of a neuron and the motor plate of the muscle cell. The two parts do not actually touch each other. When the football player’s brain sends a message to move during the game, the nerve impulse is sent from neuron to muscle cell. The space (synapse) between the axon of a motor neuron and a muscle cell is called a neuromuscular junction. The axon of the motor neuron contains synaptic vesicles which contains thousands of molecules of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. This acetylcholine is released into the space between the axon and the muscle cell. The muscle cell membrane has receptors to accept or to bond with the acetylcholine. This region is called the motor end plate. When the acetylcholine bonds with the protein receptors in the motor end plate, sodium and potassium gates in the region open at the same time

The excerpt from “The Teen Brain:Still Under Construction” by NIMH, the author believes the teen brain is still developing hormonal,intellectually, and emotionally which affects teen behavior.

In the article Beautiful Brains by David Dobbs, evolutionary research conveys that during the adolescent and teenage years the brain encounters an astonishing amount of growth and transformation. Dobbs states that these developments contribute to many of the irresponsible decisions made by teens. In the past, the brain was thought to cease maturing around the age of ten, however, new investigations have found that between the ages of twelve and twenty five, the brain continues to develop, undergoing a considerable metamorphosis. During this metamorphosis, myelin insulates a greater number of neuron’s axons, increasing the speed in which messages are exchanged, dendrites branch out and become broader, accelerating the rate at which messages are received, and synaptic pruning occurs which causes the brain’s cortex to become slimmer and more adept. During teenage years, the brain is still learning to network as well as deal with day to day obstacles such as stress, exhaustion and problems. Dobbs explains that teens act the way they do because their brains are not done maturing.

The article “ Inside the Teen Brain” by Marty Wolner, states that recent resherchers on the human brain provides parents with shocking evidence abou there teenager that probably explains there irational, ilogical, and impulsive behavior. As it turns out, brain developement during the teenage years is radically more active than previously thought. Even though the brain is almost matured the grey matter in the thinking part of the brain is still making connections. The information proccesed in the limbic system, without benefit of higher level processing in the pre-frontal cortex may result in impulsive, egocentric,, and even risky behavior. Because of the construction of the teenage brain is that its not capable of fully processing information

If an adolescent were to commit a horrendous crime such as murder, should they be convicted as guilty or not? Kids at the age 12 should realize what is right from wrong. They obliviously know that if they were to be in a position where they were killing another human, that is just a murderous crime and should be guilty for their actions. In the book Lord of the Flies, written by William Golding, a boy named Jack had committed two murders on the island where everyone was stranded. Some people agree that if adolescents were to do something irresponsible and regretful it's because “their brains just haven’t physically matured yet.”(healthychildren.org) It is true that the adolescent brain is still developing and not fully mature, but they should

There are certain instances of juveniles being tried as adults and sometimes ending up getting a life sentence without a chance of parole. I find that pretty harsh because there have been some cases where the juvenile meant no harm, they were either confused or brought along by gang members and they end up being charged along with the gang members for just being with them when a crime goes down. I believe that juveniles do not deserve to be given a life sentence because for one they are still maturing, they can learn from their mistakes and make amends, we still have to combat crimes like intended murder committed by a juvenile with extreme punishments especially if they are well over the age of 16.

Brain development begins as early as 3 weeks after conception, with continual growth occurring as individual’s age. In the first stages of brain development neurons and connections are growing. Additionally, the frontal lobe is very active in the development of children 's perception, emotions, and their attachments to individuals. This is the point where children become aware of their beliefs and purpose in the world. These perceptions can be altered by the adults in our lives. Stage three of brain development happens between 7-22 years old. In this case, the prefrontal cortex begins to mature. The prefrontal cortex is the control center that regulates a

In the article “Startling Finds on Teenage Brains,” by Paul Thompson, he speaks about how adolescents lose brain tissue as they mature. Specifically gray matter, which according to Thompson, “...brain researchers believe supports all our thinking and emotions.” The matter is being purged at a rapid rate. It’s taking with it the cells that support risk-taking, impulses, and self-control. While this shouldn’t prove to be an excuse for adolescents to break the law, it should prove to be an explanation. When it comes to the mentally ill we don’t use it as an excuse but an explanation. So what is it that is preventing us from using the research on teenage brains to help us understand why teenagers are driven to do the things that they do.

Many people have disregarded the fact that children too can commit despicable crimes; crimes that not even adults would think about committing. Juveniles have had their era in in being able to manipulating courts to give them a lighter sentences for their so-called “mistakes”. These juveniles have made puerile excuses to try and exonerate their actions by blaming their impulses, rather than taking accountability for them. Juveniles should be tried as adults due to being aware of their crimes and having an intention to kill, however, brain development and maturity can play a role into the reason why teens kill. With being tried as an adult juveniles should be granted the opportunity of freedom pending on their rehabilitation status and if requirements

Thompson provides how he had his own research group for collecting data on teenage brain development. Although Thompson may have experience in this subject field we do not know if he is a completely credible source and if he is trustworthy. “Our colleagues at the National Institutes of Health have developed technology to map the patterns of the brain in individual children and teenagers.” Again, Thompson provides his colleagues as credible sources as a use of ethos in his article. However, they can be students in learning and have no true credibility

The guns laws in this country must, absolutely must be reformed. I am an eighth grade student at Woodlawn Beach Middle School in Gulf Breeze. In the past couple of weeks, I have been told about multiple shooting threats to schools in our area. I was also informed of a recent shooting in Pensacola. Then, there was the school shooting in south Florida. How much more bloodshed will it take before we make a change?

The changing of the legal drinking age from 18 to 21 resulted from the false politicization of the very serious and prevalent issue of teenage drunk driving by activist groups such as M.A.D.D.-Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Instead of trying to legislate morality, which is a lost cause, the focus should be put on attempting to create a society which breeds responsible drinking habits. Since there is no significant change developmentally from the age 18 to 21, those three years are, in essence, a state of unfounded prohibition. The drinking age should be changed to 18.

Justice Elena Kagan spoke for the majority of the supreme court, “Mandatory life without parole for a juvenile precludes consideration of his chronological age and its hallmark features—among them, immaturity, impetuosity, and failure to appreciate risks and consequences.” This was the ruling of the Supreme Court case on June 25, 2012. Juveniles are no longer allowed to be sentenced a life sentence without parole. The majority is correct, the underdeveloped, adolescent mind is still growing and cannot be compared to an adult’s.

While there are some aspects of Gopnik’s essay on the problems with today’s adolescent mind that I can agree upon, there’s a few blatant issues with her writings. Firstly, Gopnik’s essay title immediately has a negative connotation surrounding it by suggesting there is something “wrong” with the teenage mind. Gopnik presents many issues plaguing youths, such as poor diet, and lack of exercise; in addition she briefly blames the industrial revolution and the information revolution as leading factors in why children are failing to achieve adulthood sooner in life and why they’re hitting puberty so quickly, however, she seems to focus primarily on teens and early adult’s brain chemistry.

In many high schools, 9th graders read stories from different times and of different genres in their english classes. Notably, one of the most prominent stories read by high schoolers is The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. However, there is controversy that high schoolers should not read this Shakespearean play because many argue that it is not relevant to what teens deal with on a daily basis. Despite the fact that the tragedy takes place in the 14th century, teens were no different back then. As a matter of fact, The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet presents topics that present-day teens still struggle with such as brain development, tunnel vision, and how to correctly approach suicidal teens.