810
00:51:07,520 --> 00:51:13,160
Powerful new discoveries
are throwing light
onto the teenage mind.
811
00:51:13,160 --> 00:51:20,480
As a parent, what should
I expect my children to start
being like as teenagers?
812
00:51:20,480 --> 00:51:22,800
Brains of teenagers
are very different
813
00:51:22,800 --> 00:51:25,040
from the brains of adults.
When you study them,
814
00:51:25,040 --> 00:51:26,840
they have a different structure,
815
00:51:26,840 --> 00:51:29,440
and they function
differently as well.
816
00:51:29,440 --> 00:51:32,360
What does that mean?
The number of connections,
817
00:51:32,360 --> 00:51:37,480
the number of synapses in the
frontal lobe gradually increases
during childhood and then the next
818
00:51:37,480 --> 00:51:43,520
process is something called synaptic
pruning where unused synapses
are eliminated, are pruned away.
819
00:51:43,520 --> 00:51:49,600
So, it's like the brain takes in as
much as it possibly can, it creates
as many pathways, as much information
820
00:51:49,600 --> 00:51:54,720
and then during adolescence, it
thinks, "OK, I know which ones I
need to use and which ones I don't".
821
00:51:54,720 --> 00:51:58,120
The fact that the brain is
undergoing massive changes
822
00:51:58,120 --> 00:52:02,720
has a profound impact on how
they think, feel and behave.
823
00:52:02,720 --> 00:52:08,000
The frontal lobe right at the front
of the brain is the part of the
brain that's involved in all sorts
824
00:52:08,000 --> 00:52:13,320
of high-level cognition. Things
like decision-making and planning,
825
00:52:13,320 --> 00:52:19,400
memory, inhibiting inappropriate
behaviour, self-awareness,
understanding other people,
826
00:52:19,400 --> 00:52:23,120
all these things the frontal lobe
plays a very, very crucial role in.
827
00:52:23,120 --> 00:52:25,760
So how does this fit in with
the myth of teenagers?
828
00:52:25,760 --> 00:52:31,160
With the idea that teenagers
are stroppy and difficult
and self-involved?
829
00:52:31,160 --> 00:52:33,800
The teenage years are
a very special time.
830
00:52:33,800 --> 00:52:39,680
They're a really important time
in development from an evolutionary
perspective where we have to undergo
831
00:52:39,680 --> 00:52:43,400
changes, really quite dramatic
and sudden changes in things like
832
00:52:43,400 --> 00:52:46,840
self-identity and self-awareness
and self-consciousness.
833
00:52:46,840 --> 00:52:49,600
It's obviously quite a painful
experience, as well.
834
00:52:49,600 --> 00:52:52,080
Is what the brain's doing
finding out who you are?
835
00:52:52,080 --> 00:52:58,000
Absolutely. I think that's a very
large reason why we go through this
836
00:52:58,000 --> 00:53:02,440
strange, special period of
development during adolescence,
to find out who we are.
837
00:53:03,400 --> 00:53:08,280
Developing from a child into an
adult is often a painful process
838
00:53:08,280 --> 00:53:11,080
but now at least
science can point to why.
839
00:53:11,080 --> 00:53:15,360
Being prepared for these huge
brain changes may mean we can help
840
00:53:15,360 --> 00:53:19,880
teenagers on the path to becoming
who they want to be.
841
00:53:19,880 --> 00:53:22,360
Do you think teenagers
get a bad press?
842
00:53:22,360 --> 00:53:25,840
They get a bad rep because of what's
going on in the world right now.
843
00:53:25,840 --> 00:53:31,200
Yeah. I understand why but that's
still no reason to be stereotyping
other people. Not everyone is bad.
844
00:53:31,200 --> 00:53:34,040
No, no, obviously not.
Sometimes, adults are wrong.
