Post by misty on Jan 16, 2007 18:02:21 GMT -5
Ok, this isn't really an ADHD thing, but it WAS in an ADHD newsletter & I found it fascinating & wanted to share it so....
A recent report from the National Institute of
Mental Health gives us a better look at what is
happening inside the brains of our teenagers. Take a
look at this article!
Teenage Brain: A Work in Progress
From the National Institute of Mental Health,
December 18, 2006
New imaging studies are revealing?for the first
time?patterns of brain development that extend into
the teenage years. Although scientists don't know
yet what accounts for the observed changes, they may
parallel a pruning process that occurs early in life
that appears to follow the principle of
"use-it-or-lose-it:" neural connections, or
synapses, that get exercised are retained, while
those that don't are lost. At least, this is what
studies of animals' developing visual systems
suggest. While it's known that both genes and
environment play major roles in shaping early brain
development, science still has much to learn about
the relative influence of experience versus genes on
the later maturation of the brain. Animal studies
support a role for experience in late development,
but no animal species undergoes anything comparable
to humans' protracted childhood and adolescence. Nor
is it yet clear whether experience actually creates
new neurons and synapses, or merely establishes
transitory functional changes. Nonetheless, it's
tempting to interpret the new findings as empowering
teens to protect and nurture their brain as a work
in progress.
Read the Entire Article... -
CLICK HERE
A recent report from the National Institute of
Mental Health gives us a better look at what is
happening inside the brains of our teenagers. Take a
look at this article!
Teenage Brain: A Work in Progress
From the National Institute of Mental Health,
December 18, 2006
New imaging studies are revealing?for the first
time?patterns of brain development that extend into
the teenage years. Although scientists don't know
yet what accounts for the observed changes, they may
parallel a pruning process that occurs early in life
that appears to follow the principle of
"use-it-or-lose-it:" neural connections, or
synapses, that get exercised are retained, while
those that don't are lost. At least, this is what
studies of animals' developing visual systems
suggest. While it's known that both genes and
environment play major roles in shaping early brain
development, science still has much to learn about
the relative influence of experience versus genes on
the later maturation of the brain. Animal studies
support a role for experience in late development,
but no animal species undergoes anything comparable
to humans' protracted childhood and adolescence. Nor
is it yet clear whether experience actually creates
new neurons and synapses, or merely establishes
transitory functional changes. Nonetheless, it's
tempting to interpret the new findings as empowering
teens to protect and nurture their brain as a work
in progress.
Read the Entire Article... -
CLICK HERE
I was about to conquer the world but then I got distracted by something shiny.
