The Adolescent brain Week 2 Part 1

Based on: Navigating the Social Environment in Adolescence: The Role of Social Brain Development

What age range is defined as adolescence?

10-24 years

How does the amount of cortical gray matter change during development?

It goes up, peaks in late childhood, and decreases until the mid 20s

How does the amount of white matter change during development?

Linearly increases during childhood and adolescence

What areas are part of the social brain?

dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC)

anterior cingulate cortex

inferior frontal gyrus

posterior superior temporal sulcus

anterior temporal cortex

amygdala

anterior insula

What happens to gray matter and cortical thickness in the posterior superior temporal sulcas, temporoparietal junction (TPJ), and dmPFC from childhood into early 20s?

They decrease

What happens to the anterior temporal cortex cortical thickness until early adulthood?

It increases

What happens to the gray matter in the anterior temporal cortex until adolescence?

it increases

How much does the amygdala increase in size from late childhood to mid adolescence?

it increases by ~7% stopping growth at ~14 years of age

During mentalising tasks, are the temporal posterior regions (TPJ pSTS)more active in adults or adolescents?

In adults

During mentalising tasks, are the anterior rostral PFC regions more active in adolescents or adults?

In Adolescents

Both adults and adolescents use the Dorsomedial Prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) when taking other people’s opinions into account. What is special about adolescents?

They also use the dmPF during nonsocial situations

When is the mentalising network most used?

During risky social situationsW

What happens in the social brain during social exclusion?

The connections become more active, mentalising (trying to figure out what other people are thinking)

How does having a less dense social network impact the connections in the social brain?

You have stronger connectivity during social exclusion

What happes to the conections between the amygdala and prefrontal cortex by mid adolescence?

They are inversely coupled

How does a stronger inverse connection between the PFC and amygdala show itself?

Less nonclinical anxiety symptoms

How does PFC and ventral striatum activation influence risk taking

Less risk taking

What is the Baloon analogue risk taking task

Participants inflate a virtual balloon for a monetary reward

What disorders do youth with antisocial peers more likely develop?

Externalizing disorders such as antisocial behavior and substance use

What is adolescence a sensitive period for?

Activating genetic predisposition to certain disorders.

What areas are more active when adolescents observe peers be prosocial, and the continue to mirror that behavior?

dmPFC

TPJ

precuneus

superior temporal sulcas

What is prosocial risk taking associated with (Standing up to a bully for example)

lower reward sensitivity, higher punishment sensitivity, and greater school engagement