7121 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Prefrontal Cortex, Basal Ganglia, Frontal Lobe
21 Jun 2018
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ADOLESCENCE
what is adolescence?
- Transition starting age 13 years, ‘teen’
- Changes in
oDemands and privileges
oPhysical growth
oCognitive
oEducation
oSexuality
osocial relationships
adolescent vulnerability
- onset of many mental health issues, linked to challenges and adjustment
obody image and eating disorder
osmoking and alcohol/drug use
odepression
oanxiety
oself esteem
storm and stress?
- Conceptualization of adolescence
- Most do not experience the period this way and report it as the happiest time of their life
oCan Include stress through experience of multiple, simultaneous or cumulative changes
Cross cultural views
- Many non western cultures practice initiation
oTransform children into higher status social members
oInvolve complete cessation of childhood existence
oDramatise encounter between the generations
oTransmit, and test, cultural and religious knowledge
oSignal adults’ relaxation of certain legal jurisdiction and social control
oRemove uncertainty surrounding gaining independence
PUBERTY
- Pubertal development
oSignificant changes in physical body require adjustment
oBody awareness and body image
oPhysical changes
Secondary sexual characteristics
Brain development; complete 25yrs
Height and weight
oAsynchrony a challenge (inter (comparing with other people) and intra (nose might
develop at diff rate than other parts of body) in onset and duration)
Females >2 years ahead of males
Lifestyle factors can impact physical development
- Impact of body change
oBody image concerns highlighted by young people
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oDissatisfaction peaks during adolescence
oOverestimate weight
Risk for eating disorders and unhealthy weight control
Depression
Self esteem
Anxiety
- Pubertal timing
oImpact on experiences, including
Social
Academic
Adjustment
oEspecially common in early puberty for females, and late puberty for males
- Life cycle surprises
oPubertal timing and well being
psychological impact of being off schedule
early maturing boys seen as more
self assured
attractive and better groomed
poised and well mannered
out going and more popular
later maturing boys seen as more
nervous and socially awkward
bossy, unattractive and less popular
immature and irresponsible by adults
early maturing girls
high level of substance abuse
more body image worries
higher levels of anxiety and depression
more often apprehended for delinquent and aggressive acts
late maturing girls
less favourable self concept in a few domains
olifespan consequences
early maturing men
more rigid
more conforming
less capable of coping with stress
late maturing men
derive greater satisfaction from intimate relationships
seen as more understanding and considerate
less likely to be divorced
early maturing women
more responsible, self directed, socially poised and realistic
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less rigid in thinking
less willing to give up in the face of adversity
late maturing women
later to gain experience later in life
less skilled in coping with adversity
COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT
- neurocognitive growth
oadolescence is now seen as a critical period of rapid neurocognitive growth ad
organization
ocontinues beyond adolescence
osignificant differences compared to childhood and adulthood in function and structure
prefrontal cortex; important in behaviour
basal ganglia
subcortical regions including dopaminergic system
ocrucial brain changes have implications for behaviour
ochanges in separate areas are inter related
oincreased white matter as pruning occurs
connecting brain
grey matter: nerve cells
opre frontal cortex one of the last to mature
decision making skills
risk taking
- theories of cognition
opiaget (1972) – formal operational thought
ofinal stage of cognitive maturity reached at end of adolescence
logic
reasoning
abstract problems
hypotheticals
- transitions in cognition
oconcrete operational thought limited to the here and now
oadolescents develop the ability to think systematically and abstractly
otesting (inhelder and piaget)
- approaches
oconcrete operational approach
trial and error, difficult to repeat
oformal operational approach
systematic testing with record keeping aka scientific method
oable to compute multiple permutations
bottle 2 = water, bottle 4 = erase
therefore = bottle 1 + bottle 5 + bottle 3
- revisions
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Most do not experience the period this way and report it as the happiest time of their life: can include stress through experience of multiple, simultaneous or cumulative changes. Pubertal development: significant changes in physical body require adjustment, body awareness and body image, physical changes. Height and weight: asynchrony a challenge (inter (comparing with other people) and intra (nose might develop at diff rate than other parts of body) in onset and duration) Impact of body change: body image concerns highlighted by young people, dissatisfaction peaks during adolescence, overestimate weight. Risk for eating disorders and unhealthy weight control. Adjustment: especially common in early puberty for females, and late puberty for males. More body image worries higher levels of anxiety and depression. More often apprehended for delinquent and aggressive acts late maturing girls less favourable self concept in a few domains: lifespan consequences early maturing men.
