The article, “Bad mix for the teen brain,” by Janet Hopson, reviews many different surveys conducted by psychiatry researchers at various universities. Each survey tracked varying numbers of 12-14 year olds for a duration of time. These researchers found out that the teenage brain, particularly the prefrontal cortex, has not reached full maturity. The prefrontal cortex is just behind the forehead and controls the, “ability to stop oneself from acting impulsive…” (Hopson, 2013) The effects of drinking in young adolescents is very harmful to the brain. A study conducted by Susan F. Tapert of the University of California, San Diego found that kids can diminish their ability to learn and memorize. Scientists used MRI scans to examine the adolescents’ brains. Four years later, they re-examined the same adolescents’ brains and found that there was less activity in certain parts of the brain than the original scan. This article is part of ongoing research to find out if the damage to the brain is reversible.
In the article, “Bad mix for the teen brain,” by Janet Hopson, the most alarming statistic is the deterioration of the learning and memory portion of the brain. Heavy consumption of alcohol in adolescents have proven to damage parts of the brain that has not yet matured. Scientists have
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This part of the brain controls a person's inhibition - the ability to stop from acting impulsive. This also controls working memory, “the mental scratchpad that enables a person to temporarily hold and manipulate information.” (Hopson, 2013) These damages to the brain contribute to the risky behavior that adolescents act upon. This interests me because, knowing this information, I will not participate in the drinking of alcohol. I am an overall successful student, and I do not want anything to get in the way of my goals. I hope to continue being