This is a fun, “TED” style workshop that uses humorous pictures rather than text to show how the teen brain is still developing and how its incomplete development determines the thoughts, feelings and behaviors of teens. While the workshop covers technical subjects such neuroanatomy and neurodevelopment, it does so in a clear, non-technical fashion to make the material accessible to everyone, not just psychiatrists and psychologists. Participants often feel afterwards that they “get” teenagers and feel more comfortable working with them both at home and in professional settings.

1. The Teen Brain –
Or Why Adolescents are not Adults…
Scott Carroll, MD
Founder, Ayni Neuroscience Institute
www.scottcarrollmd,com

2. The Teen Brain…

3. Brain Anatomy and Function

4. Brain Anatomy – Limbic System

5. Neurons and Axons

6. Gray Matter vs. White Matter

7. White Matter Tracks

8. White Matter Tracks – Frontal View

9. Piaget – Cognitive Development

10. Neurons – Early Development

11. Neurons – Changes with Puberty
• Between 7 and 11
massive increase in
connections occur
• Intense pruning of
connections occur
between 12 and 14
• At 15 pruning slows and
myelination of the long
white matter tracks begin

12. Myelinated versus Unmyelinated

13. Local vs. Optimal Processing

14. Myelination – Last Phase of Growth
• Most myelination occurs
between 18 and 24 years
old
• The frontal lobes are the
last area to myelinate
• Judgment, emotional
stability and impulse
control become possible
around 25yo (car
insurance)

15. Psychosocial Development
• Eric Erikson described 8
stages of development
• Identity versus Role
Diffusion - 12 to early 20’s
• Teens shift between
different roles, eventually
settling on clear identity or
search endlessly

16. Biopsychosocial Development
• Increased peer focus
may do anything to be
different from parents and
accepted by peers
• Drive for independence
flip between being distant
and rejecting versus being
childlike and needy

17. What Does This All Mean?
• Teens frequently have “black/white” or “all or
nothing” thinking, which misses complexity and
pitfalls of a situation, problem or solution
• Teens can be very rational when calm or thinking
hypothetically, but under stress become confused and
overwhelmed by emotions and impulses
• Under stress their mental processes can regress to
“child-like” or even “preschool” thought patterns,
such as “magical thinking” or even fantasy.

18. Common Situations with Teens
• They often have (unrealistic) expectations of life or
believe they are (magically) protected from danger
• They may (magically) deny a problem exists and
avoid help, because “I just wanted to pretend …”
• Overwhelmed teens do have a back up plan and go
to a trusted adult and say, “Just tell me what to do!”

19. Techniques for Stressed Teens
• Slow down and use simple, concrete examples
• Be neutral, non-reactive and respectful of autonomy
• Try playing “Colombo”
• Try visualization or guided imagery

20. Follow Dr. Scott on:
 Twitter @ScottCarrollMD
 Facebook at Scott Carroll, MD
 And soon at
www.scottcarrollmd.com