The portrait of the girl in this image is inspired by Diane Lake, one of teenage members of the Manson family, a quasi-commune formed by the now famous American criminal, Charles Manson in the 1960s. Diane was terribly unlucky to cross paths with an insane criminal that took an interest in her, at such an impressionable age. For those of us more fortunate, adolescence is still a period characterized by engagement in high risk activities, and at least one or two car crashes.
The outcome of recent work in the field of developmental neuroscience sheds light on the surge of involvement with risky behavior experienced in teenage years. Neuroimaging studies have revealed that adolescence is a time for dramatic developmental changes in the prefrontal and subcortical regions. Subcortical regions of the brain are involved with motivational behavior, tracking reward, and the prefrontal cortex as discussed before is required for self-perception and self-insight. Lesion studies on OFC, a segment of the frontal cortex have shown that damage to this area results in loss in the capacity of the individual to accurately assess their own actions.
Research in this field has shown that subcortical regions fully mature during teenage years, but the development in the prefrontal region is not complete until the third decade of life. It is this differential development between the subcortical regions relative to the prefrontal regions that may be the underlying cause for engagement in high risk behavior among teenagers.
The implications of these finding can be perceived as worrisome, suggesting that the teenage brain is too immature to inhibit impulse-driven behavior. But knowledge about this differential cortical development is crucial for parents, the public and policy makers, so that we can stop blaming teenagers for making bad decisions, and start formulating policies that minimize the social and individual impact of such actions.
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