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develops during childhood and adolescence. They do this environment, it “prunes” away the connections it doesn’t skill, like talking or reading, may not be needed anymore
by using tools like magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), use anymore—like cutting dead roses from a bush. At the after it masters those skills. Once the energy is used to
which can open a window into a teen’s head (without same time, connections that are essential for achieving connect visual symbols (letters) into meaningful words and
opening their skull!). We’ve learned that the brain structure today’s and tomorrow’s goals become more “hard wired,” phrases, the energy for those brain regions may be better
tends to grow or mature from the back to the front, and so they work more quickly. The brain maturation process is spent on new skills like learning algebra, how to play a
from the bottom to the top. The regions of the brain that like building a freeway between two cities for faster travel, musical instrument, how to draw, or how to drive.
mature last include the frontal lobes. These are responsible instead of relying on unpaved back roads. So, we’re getting closer to an answer for the question of
for what we call “executive functioning”; they’re kind of This makes sense when you think of the brain as when adolescence ends and adulthood begins. We’re
like the brain’s “boss.” Development of the frontal lobes using a limited supply of energy to keep all of a learning more from studies like the Adolescent Brain
allows for better control over the parts of the brain that person’s “lights on” all the time. Energy that supports Cognitive Development Study (ABCD Study), which is
are responsible for your emotions, your actions/behavior, brain connections and neurons that aren’t really helping examining how the brain, thoughts, and behaviors develop
how you process risks and rewards, and how you make you to achieve any goals may not be worth the “cost,” if in diverse children and adolescents from ages nine to about
decisions, among other things. there isn’t enough energy left to support the new thoughts, twenty. Eventually, we’ll understand better how every
Let’s look at an example. Picture a preschool child whose skills, and behaviors that happen as you grow up. The kinds experience a person has—in their brain and their outside
During adolescence, as you become adults, a lot of needs and desires aren’t being met. For this child, the of energy and connections your brain needs to learn a new environment—helps to shape them for adulthood.
changes take place in your body. But defining exactly obvious answer may be to have a tantrum, or just to take
what “adolescence” is,
seem. We do know Your Adolescent Brain: It’s a Construction Zone
and when it occurs,
isn’t as easy as it may

that, in general,
adolescence begins
in puberty; this happens for girls between the ages of nine the object they want from another child (likely leading to
and ten, and one to two years later for boys. The hormones more tantrums). By the time this child has reached age ten
associated with puberty cause changes in the body that or twelve, they’ve probably learned through experience
lead to physical sexual maturity. But it isn’t clear when that there are better ways to get what they need or want,
adolescence ends—or, in other words, when bodies reach like using words and conversation. Their frontal lobes are
their adult form. “coming online” and controlling their brain’s emotional
regions, so their social interactions are appropriate for
Adolescence is a very busy time, both inside and out. An
adolescent’s behavior, thinking, and emotional control are their age. This brain maturation (the process of becoming
changing at the same time that social expectations are mature) continues until a person is in their mid-twenties.
rapidly changing for them. This is all part of the normal A sixteen-year-old may think it’s a good idea to drive a car
process of becoming an adult. As children navigate from as fast as she can to get to a pool party; when she’s twenty
elementary school into middle and high school, they or twenty-five (after a few speeding tickets, or worse), she
begin to become independent from their family; this is might be better able to hold herself back and reduce the
especially important during adolescence, as teens prepare risks that go with getting what she wants as quickly as
for adulthood. But when does “adolescence” end and possible. These are the frontal lobes in action.
“adulthood” begin in the brain? But what, exactly, is the brain “doing” to make this
The adolescent brain is like a construction zone. Physical maturation happen? Scientists are beginning to find out.
maturity can be observed on the outside, but what defines We’ve learned that the brain produces far more brain cells
“adulthood” may be related more to what’s going on (called neurons) and connections between its different
between an adolescent’s ears. Scientists have learned a systems than it needs later to process information,
lot in the last few decades about how the brain typically thoughts, and behavior in adulthood. Over time, as the
brain has more experiences in a teen’s social and physical

By Elizabeth Sowell, Ph.D.
ABCD Study Principal Investigator
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
Professor of Pediatrics Art by Elizabeth Sowell
Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California