1. risks and opportunities
The adolescent brain:
risks and opportunities
Eveline Crone
April 2016

2. What defines adolescence?
Peers
Risk taking
Creativity
Peer pressure
Defining norms
The adolescent brain: risks and opportunities

3. Adolescence, when does it start?
And when does it end…?
The adolescent brain: risks and opportunities

4. Adolescence
Adolescence = growing up to become a mature member of our society
The adolescent brain: risks and opportunities

5. Changes in sleep patterns
girls
Morning person
boys
The adolescent brain: risks and opportunities

6. The adolescent brain: risks and opportunities

7. What changes in the brain?
Research lab Leiden
The adolescent brain: risks and opportunities

8. Neurons and connections
Child Adolescent Adult
The adolescent brain: risks and opportunities

9. Learning and creativity
Changes in adolescence:
Adolescents improve in:
Speed of processing
Reasoning
Creativity
…….
The adolescent brain: risks and opportunities

10. Delay of gratification
The ability to resist the temptation for an immediate reward and wait for a later reward
5 euros now? or
10 euros in 2 days?
Area under the curve (AUC)
The adolescent brain: risks and opportunities

11. Why do adolescents take risks?
The adolescent brain: risks and opportunities

12. Risky behavior across the life span
Steinberg 2012
The adolescent brain: risks and opportunities

13. Risk-taking in the brain
Nelson et al., 2005, Psych Med.
The adolescent brain: risks and opportunities

14. Brain activity after winning money
In adolescence: to rewards STRONGER brain responses
The adolescent brain: risks and opportunities

15. Changes in testosterone
The adolescent brain: risks and opportunities

16. Testosterone and risk-taking
Gemaakt door Raoul Grasman
The adolescent brain: risks and opportunities

17. Why do young people take more risks?
Only explaining what risks are is not sufficient
The adolescent brain: risks and opportunities

18. Adolescence Risks Opportunities
The adolescent brain: risks and opportunities

19. Thank you for your attention
The adolescent brain: risks and opportunities