Washington: Teenagers who indulge in dangerous activities have a more mature brain as compared to their less adventurous peers, according to a new brain imaging study.
The study, which focused on teen behaviour, found that adolescents with risky behaviour have frontal white matter tracts that are more adult in form than their more conservative peers.
The brain goes through a course of maturation during adolescence, and does not reach its adult form until the mid-twenties.
According to a long-standing theory of adolescent behaviour, this delayed brain maturation is the cause of impulsive and dangerous decisions in adolescence.
But, the new study, which used a form of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) called diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to measure structural changes in white matter in the brain, has questioned the above theory.
Emory University and Emory School of Medicine neuroscientists wanted to better understand the relationship between high risk-taking and the brain’s development.
“In the past, studies have focused on the pattern of gray matter density from childhood to early adulthood. With new technology, we were able to develop the first study looking at how development of white matter relates to activities in the real world,” said Dr. Gregory Berns.
Gray matter is the part of the brain made up of neurons, while white matter connects neurons to each other. As the brain matures, white matter becomes denser and more organized. Gray matter and white matter follow different trajectories. Both are important for understanding brain function.
The study enrolled 91adolescents ages 12 through 18 over a three-year period.
The researchers measured the levels of engagement in dangerous behaviours via a survey that included questions about the teens’ thrill seeking behaviours, reckless behaviours, rebellious behaviours and antisocial behaviours.
DTI was used to measure corresponding structural changes in white matter.
“We were surprised to discover that risk-taking was associated with more highly-developed white matter - a more mature brain. We were also surprised to learn that except for slightly higher scores in risk-taking, there was no significant difference in the maturity of the white matter between males and females,” said Berns.
Berns has suggested that doing adult-like activities requires sophisticated skills.
The study’s findings have been published in the journal PLoS ONE.
ANI
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.