Blame my brain - the amazing teenage brain revealed

Blame My Brain shows what’s going on in your head, why, why it’s important, how long it will last, and what you can do about it. It speaks directly to you, teenagers, and is for you. But parents and teachers usually grab it and devour it eagerly... There’s fantastic research into the teenage brain and what scientists have discovered in the last few years will amaze you. And reassure you. And amaze and reassure your parents. Scientists used to think that when we are born we have all the brain cells (neurons) we’ll ever have. Now they know it’s not true. And especially that just before puberty large numbers of extra ones suddenly grow. Then, during the rest of adolescence, about the same amount are cut back drastically. During adolescence, bits of your brain develop at different speeds. Your teenage brain is in a state of physical change, probably greater than at any time since you were two years old and greater than at any time you will experience again. As an example, researchers asked a group of adolescents and adults to look at a picture of a woman showing a particular emotion. Then they asked them all what the emotion was. All the adults got it right. About half of the teenagers got it wrong. BUT the most amazing thing was that when researchers scanned their brains while they were doing the test, the teenagers who got it wrong were using a completely different part of their brain. They were using the bit that deals with raw emotion, gut instinct, not logic. The adults were using the logical bit. You can do that test too: it’s in the book. Nicola Morgan's accessible and humourous examination of the ups and downs of the teenage brain deals with powerful emotions, the need for more sleep, the urge to take risks, the difference between genders, the reasons behind addiction and depression, and what lies ahead. A comprehensive guide to the biological mysteries that lie behind teenage behaviour. Contrary to popular (parental) opinion, teenagers are not the lazy, unpleasant louts they occasionally appear to be. During the teenage years the brain is undergoing its most radical and fundamental change since the age of two. Nicola Morgan's carefully researched, accessible and humorous examination of the ups and downs of the teenage brain has chapters dealing with powerful emotions, the need for more sleep, the urge to take risks, the difference between genders and the reasons behind addiction or depression. The revised edition of this classic book contains important new research, including information on mirror neurons and their effect on the teenage brain A comprehensive guide to the biological mysteries that lie behind teenage behaviour. Contrary to popular (parental) opinion, teenagers are not the lazy, unpleasant – frankly, spotty – louts they occasionally appear to be. During the teenage years the brain is undergoing its most radical and fundamental change since the age of two. Nicola Morgan's carefully researched, accessible and humorous examination of the ups and downs of the teenage brain has chapters dealing with powerful emotions, the need for more sleep, the urge to take risks, the difference between genders and the reasons behind addiction or depression. The revised edition of this classic book contains important new research, including information about the discovery of mirror neurons and their effect on the teenage brain.