What new research reveals about the adolescent brain. We ’re learning that the teen years are a period of crucial brain developm

admin2018-03-27  41

问题    What new research reveals about the adolescent brain. We ’re learning that the teen years are a period of crucial brain development subject to a host of environmental and genetic factors. This emerging research shed light on a discovery that our brains are not finished maturing by adolescence, brains are only about 80 percent of the way to maturity, it takes until the mid-20s, and possibly later, for a brain to become fully developed.
   An excess of gray matter (the stuff that does the processing) at the beginning of adolescence makes us particularly brilliant at learning, but also particularly sensitive to the influences of our environment. Our brains’ processing centers haven’t been fully linked yet, particularly the parts responsible for helping to check our impulses and considering the long-term repercussions of our actions.
   It’ s partially because of this developmental timeline that a teen can be so quick to think a harsh remark, or a biting insult, and so uninhibited in firing it off at the nearest unfortunate target. Instead, the full developed brain regions of an adult might stop himself from saying something cruel.
   In a paper published last year, Dr. Jay Giedd, wrote that, gray-matter (the stuff that does the processing) volume peaks around or just before the beginning of puberty, and then continuously declines. In contrast, white matter (the stuff that helps connect areas of the brain) increases right up to, and beyond, the end of puberty.
   These adolescent brain developments don’t happen to all parts of the brain at the same time. "The order in which this maturation of connection goes, is from the back of the brain to the front of the brain," says Jensen. And one of the last parts to mature is the frontal lobe, a large area responsible for moderating reward, planning, impulsiveness, attention, acceptable social behavior, and other roles that are known as executive functions. Unfortunately, it’ s just these sorts of behaviors that teenage brains are not fully endowed to deal with—and the consequences are potentially fatal when it comes to high-risk behavior like drinking and driving.
   This blast of teen-brain change is compounded by profound social and psychological shifts. Of particular importance is that adolescence is the time when we develop stronger social connections with our peers. Healthy social relationships have a positive effect on how an adolescent navigates through a tumultuous period of life. But at the same time, this reliance on friends makes young people susceptible to the influence of peer pressure, even when it is indirect.
With the maturity of the front lobe, teenagers will______.

选项 A、plan drive and drink
B、will avoid arguing
C、schedule their time efficiently
D、never get into fight

答案C

解析 根据题干关键词定位到文章第五段。由该段可知,青少年大脑额叶发育成熟之后,可以更好地安排时间,提前规划路线,控制情绪,避免纠纷。如果未成熟时,有些行为若处理不当其结果是致命的,比如酒驾,故C项“有效地安排他们的时间”与原文相符。A项“规划驾驶和饮酒”、B项“避免争吵”和D项“从不卷入打斗”均与原文相反,故选C。
转载请注明原文地址:https://kaotiyun.com/show/nwBZ777K
0

最新回复(0)