First Blog Post on *The Teenage Brain* (sample first blog post)

Hello, my name is Mr. Lainhart, and I am currently reading The Teenage Brain by Dr. Frances E. Jensen and Amy Ellis Nutt.

The Teenage Brain is a new book that applies modern neuroscience to the area of child development, particularly the teen years. According to this interview published on NPR's health blog, Jensen and Nutt examine how the very factors that make teens mentally flexible and quick to learn are the same factors that predispose teens to being impulsive and moody. Using her background as a professor in neuroscience at the University of Pennsylvania and as a mother of two boys, Jensen explains how the frontal lobes of the brain are the last to develop, usually not until the mid-twenties. This is significant because the frontal lobes are the areas which control what's known as "executive functions" like the ability to weigh pros and cons before making decisions, the ability to feel empathy for others, and the ability to control one's impulses.

Jensen and Nutt also examine the reasons why the teen brain is more susceptible to addiction--both drug and alcohol addictions and addictions such as to technology. Because the field of brain studies is growing and changing so quickly, Jensen and Nutt admit that they do not have all the answers. However, their focus is to provide information to parents, teens, and teachers, so that they can be more aware of factors to look out for.