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The adolescent brain: insights from functional neuroimaging research
Monique Ernst1, Sven C Mueller
1Emotional Development and Affective Neuroscience Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA. ernstm@mail.nih.gov
Developmental Neurobiology
|April 3, 2008
Summary
Functional neuroimaging reveals brain maturation during adolescence. This review surveys techniques and links cognitive, emotional, and social changes to neuroscience findings.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Recent advances in functional neuroimaging have spurred extensive research on adult brain functional maps.
- Developmental research is increasingly contributing to our understanding of brain maturation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review functional neuroimaging findings on brain maturation.
- To connect adolescent behavioral changes with neuroscience perspectives.
Main Methods:
- Survey of neuroimaging techniques: fMRI, MRS, MEG, PET, SPECT, and infrared.
- Outline of key adolescent cognitive, emotional, and social changes.
- Neuroscientific interpretation of observed behavioral changes.
Main Results:
- Functional neuroimaging provides insights into the developing adolescent brain.
- Adolescent behavioral shifts correlate with underlying neural changes.
- Integration of neuroimaging with clinical and molecular data is crucial.
Conclusions:
- Functional neuroimaging is a key tool for understanding adolescent brain development.
- Future insights will arise from interdisciplinary collaboration including clinical and molecular approaches.
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