Scientists discover new predictor of adolescent brain development
Neuroscientists at the University of Southern California in the US have discovered that a type of thinking, described more than a century ago as characteristic of adolescence, is capable of making young people’s brains grow over time.
This type of thinking, which the study authors call “transcendent,” means going beyond concrete issues related to social situations, and also considering broader ethical, systemic and personal implications.
Engaging in this type of thinking involves analyzing situations for their deeper meaning, historical contexts, civic importance, and/or underlying ideas.
The research team, led by Rossier Mary Helen Immordino-Yang, published their findings in the journal Scientific reports.
Thoughts that go beyond the “here and now”
In previous studies, the authors demonstrated that when adolescents and adults think about problems and situations in a transcendent way, many brain systems coordinate this activity, including two networks important for psychological functioning: the executive control network and the default mode network.
The executive control network is involved in managing focused, goal-directed thoughts, while the default mode network is active during all types of thinking that transcend the “here and now”, such as when remembering personal experiences, imagining the future, you feel lasting emotions such as compassion, gratitude and admiration for virtue, daydreaming or creative thinking.
To reach their conclusions, the researchers interviewed 65 high school students, ages 14 to 18, about true stories of other teenagers and asked the students to explain how each story made them feel.
Brain activities recorded
The students then underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging scans to assess brain activity that day and two years later. Participants were interviewed twice more over the next three years when they were in their twenties.
What the researchers found was that all of the teens in the experiment talked at least a little about lessons they learned from a touching story or how a story might change their perspective on something in their or other people’s lives. .
Although all of the participating teenagers could think transcendently, some did much more than others. And this was what made the difference. The more a teenager addressed the big picture and tried to learn from stories, the more coordination between brain networks increased over the next two years, regardless of IQ or socioeconomic status.
Brain growth and maturation
This brain growth (compared to the size recorded two years earlier) in turn predicted important developmental milestones, such as identity development in the later teenage years and life satisfaction in young adulthood, about five years later.
The findings reveal a new predictor of brain development: transcendent thinking. Researchers believe this type of thinking can grow the brain because it requires coordination of brain networks involved in focusing on goals, such as the executive control network, with those involved in internal reflection and free thinking, such as the default mode network. .
These findings have important implications for middle and high school design and potentially even for adolescent mental health. And they reveal the important role that young people play in the development of their brains through the meaning they attribute to the social world.
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
