Transcript Pubertal Influences on Sleep - Pierce County | University

“The Teen Brain:
A Work in Progress”
Karen Hintz
Family Living Agent
UW-Extension, Door County
Dianne Weber
Family Living Educator
UW-Extension, Eau Claire County
Pre-Test:
1. Most behavior changes in adolescence
are due to hormones
2. The brain is fully developed in the first
three years of life
3. The average teen needs 9.25 hours of
sleep each night
4. Nicotine affects adults and teens in
the same way
5. After age 12, parents don’t have much
influence on their child’s development
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Objectives
1. Participants will develop an understanding of
how teens’ behavior is affected by their brain
development
2. Participants will learn how to provide
experiences that will promote optimum brain
development
Outline
 Defining adolescence
 Brain development and behavior in teens
 Some risks associated with the teen years
 What adults can do to promote good brain
development
Defining Adolescence
 The period between the onset of sexual
maturation & the attainment of adult roles &
responsibilities
 Involves psychological, social, legal, and
biological changes
 The transition from:
“child” status (requires adult monitoring) to
“adult” status (self-responsibility for
behavior)
“Storm & Stress”
 Many adolescents navigate this interval with
minimal difficulties
 Increased conflicts with parents/increased stress of
parents
 Greater mood volatility & increased negative mood
 Increased romantic motivation & sexual interest
 Increased risk behavior, recklessness & sensationseeking
Imaging Tracks Brain Maturation
from ages 5 to 20
Human Brain: Side View
cortex
limbic
system
cerebellum
midbrain
brainstem
Timeline of Brain
Development
 Birth to 3 -- Time of rapid intellectual,
emotional & physical growth of brain & brain
“wiring”
 By age 6 -- 95% of brain development completed
 Preteens (10-12 years) -- 2nd major brain growth
spurt
 Adolescence (13-20s) -- Pruning and organizing,
especially in frontal cortex
Frontal Cortex
 “CEO” of the
brain
 Responsible for
planning,
strategizing and
judgement
 Growth spurt ages 11-12
 Pruning /
Organizing teen
years
“Thinking Brain”
Development
 Maturity comes more slowly to the frontal
lobes and frontal cortex
 “Pruning” occurs in the forebrain, allowing
the brain to think more efficiently
 Because myelination is not yet complete, the
brain is not yet working with optimum
efficiency
Adolescent Decision-Making
 Approaching adult levels of reasoning ability by 15
 But, high rates of “poor” decision-making
 In risky driving scenario, teens increased risk when
tested in company of friends and adults didn’t
What Does This Mean in
Terms of Behavior?
 Lack of “common sense”
 Thinking that seems rigid
 Decisions that seem irrational
 Disorganization everywhere
Amygdala
 Quick
emotional
responses
 Used more by
teens
“Emotional Brain”
Development
 Emotional brain dominates
 Prefrontal cortex is not ready to take charge
 Emotional brain seeks pleasure, in the form
of novelty, excitement, and risk
What emotion do you see?
Communication Gap
 Teens are more likely to misinterpret
facial expressions of emotion
 See anger when there isn’t anger
 Process in the amygdala
 May react quickly
What Does This Mean in
terms of Behavior?
 Impulsiveness
 Mood changes
 Inadequate emotional control
 Seeks out risks
Remember:
the emotional brain
is often in charge
in teens.
Cerebellum
 Coordination of
muscles and
physical
movement
 Coordination of
thinking
processes, too
 Dynamic growth
and change
during teen years
Brain Coordination
 Can be physically AND mentally clumsy
 Not finished growing until early 20’s
 Cerebellum influenced by experiences
 Needs “exercise” & practice
What does this mean for
behavior?
 Feeling awkward about one’s body
 Strong romantic/sexual drive, without the
mature ability to regulate
 Alternating between high expectations and poor
self-confidence
 Greater ability to do work
 Tendency to return to childish behavior
The Health Paradox
of Adolescence
 Measures of most abilities indicate
adolescence is the healthiest and most
resilient period of the lifespan
 Yet: overall morbidity and mortality rates
increase 200-300% from childhood to late
adolescence
 Primary causes of death/disability are
related to problems with control of behavior
and emotion.
Alcohol & Other Drugs
 Increase in dopamine which further
encourages risk taking
 Increase in depression and anxiety
 Can wound or damage brain
(more than in adults)
 Hinder brain storage of new
information
3-D Brain Scan
Healthy Brain
Ecstasy Brain
Nicotine
 When tobacco is smoked, nicotine is
circulated throughout the brain
 Can stimulate feelings of pleasure
 As addictive as heroin or cocaine
 People who start smoking before the age
of 21 have the hardest time quitting
 Causes far more illnesses and death than
all other addictive drugs combined
Other Concerns of the Teen
Years
 Depression
 Eating disorders
 Schizophrenia
 Mood disorders
 Suicide
Adolescents and Sleep
 Shift in Circadian (Biological Clock) to
preferring later bedtimes and rise-times
 Need for sleep increases at puberty
 Societal influences push teens toward
sleep delay
 Sleep deprivation common
What are the Consequences of
Insufficient Sleep?
 Decreased motivation
 Sleepiness during the day
 Irritability & low tolerance
 Difficulties in focusing attention
 Difficulties with self-control
 Negative synergy with alcohol
 Direct effects on learning, memory consolidation
Sleep Important for Learning
z z z z Consolidate what has been learned
z z z z Prepares brain to take in new
information
z z z z Learn new tasks faster
z z z z Retain newly learned information
Vicious Cycle
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“Catch-up” sleep pushes circadian system to
further delay
Using stimulants (caffeine & nicotine) can
contribute to difficulty falling asleep (DFA)
Full time students working more than 20
hours/week
Stress and conflict contribute to emotional
arousal and further DFA
Opportunities for Parents &
Others
 Greatest spurts of brain growth since
infancy
 Establishing new links
 Depends on use to become permanent
 Prevention & early intervention
Provide Guidance and
Opportunities
 Teens need to use their “thinking brains”
for planning, analyzing, organizing,
problem solving, and making decisions
Provide Opportunities for
Enriching Experiences
 Limit use of TV and video games if they
interfere with activities that allow for
healthy socialization, physical activity, or
real-life problem solving
Encourage Healthy Risks
During the Teen Years
 Sports
 Creativity
 Challenging studies
 Jobs
Keep Communicating
 Listen
 Encourage
 Support
Promote A Good Night’s
Sleep
z z z z Regular schedule
z z z z At least 9 hours of sleep every night
z z z z Don’t sleep in over 1-2 hours past
normal rising time
z z z z Limit use of caffeine in afternoon
z z z z Relaxing routine, not violent TV etc.
In Summary
 Brain development continues throughout life.
 The “emotional” brain shows earlier
development than the “thinking” brain
 The “emotional” brain seeks novelty and
stimulation, sometimes met by risky behavior
 Risks can be healthy and unhealthy
 Adults can and should provide guidance,
opportunities, and environments that promote
development of the “thinking” brain
Post-Test:
1. Most behavior changes in adolescence
are due to hormones
2. The brain is fully developed in the first
three years of life
3. The average teen needs 9.25 hours of
sleep each night
4. Nicotine affects adults and teens in
the same way
5. After age 12, parents don’t have much
influence on their child’s development
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Resources

Adolescent Brain Development: a Framework for
Understanding Unique Vulnerabilities and Opportunities
Ronald E. Dahl, MD, Professor of Psychiatry &
Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh, PA
www.wccf.org/projects/2003brainconference.htm

Inside the Teenage Brain: A Guide for Parents
Frontline Program 1/31/02, Sarah Spinks, Producer
www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/teenbrain
Resources, cont.

The Secret Life of the Brain
Program Three, The Teenage Brain: A World of Their Own
PBS, David Grubin Productions & Thirteen/WNET New York
www.pbs.org/brain

The Primal Teen: What the New Discoveries About the
Teenage Brain Tell Us About Our Kids
Barbara Strauch, 2003. New York: Doubleday

Lorraine Henning, School Social Worker
2004
Zits cartoons © Zits Partnership.
Reprinted with special permission of
King Features Syndicate.