Social re-orientation and brain development: An expanded and updated view

Abstract

Social development has been the focus of a great deal of neuroscience based research over the past decade. In this review, we focus on providing a framework for understanding how changes in facets of social development may correspond with changes in brain function. We argue that (1) distinct phases of social behavior emerge based on whether the organizing social force is the mother, peer play, peer integration, or romantic intimacy; (2) each phase is marked by a high degree of affect-driven motivation that elicits a distinct response in subcortical structures; (3) activity generated by these structures interacts with circuits in prefrontal cortex that guide executive functions, and occipital and temporal lobe circuits, which generate specific sensory and perceptual social representations. We propose that the direction, magnitude and duration of interaction among these affective, executive, and perceptual systems may relate to distinct sensitive periods across development that contribute to establishing long-term patterns of brain function and behavior.

The neurobiology of the emotional adolescent: From the inside out

“…For example, emotional experiences related to intimacy, romantic love, jealousy, targeted rejection and acceptance by both partners and peers are often experienced for the first time during adolescence, and the novelty of these experiences may well enhance the impact of the associated emotions (Siegel and Shaughnessy, 1995; Suleiman and Harden, 2016). The important moderating role of the social group in adolescents’ emotional experience is likely to result in behaviors more conducive to norms of a novel peer group than of the natal family unit from which they are preparing to exit (Hostinar et al, 2015; Nelson et al, 2016; Spear, 2000; Steinberg, 2008). Heightened impulsivity, sensation-seeking, and reward sensitivity may help to push adolescents toward seeking novel experiences and social interactions at a time when they are leaving the natal group, establishing their identity, and developing routines in a new setting.…”

“…This is most evident in the dual systems and imbalance conceptual models of adolescent neurodevelopment, which both characterize neocortical systems as developing increasing inhibitory control over striatal and limbic regions as adolescence progresses (Casey et al, 2016; Shulman et al, 2016). Even within models that argue for a more complex relationship between top-down and bottom-up neural input across development (Nelson et al, 2016, 2005; Pfeifer and Allen, 2012), the influence of high emotionality on guiding behavior is thought to diminish in part due to maturation of neocortical modulatory inputs. There are many examples where cortically-mediated cognitive processes modulate emotionality in the social domain.…”

“…First, we have argued that social interactions and relationships are among the most critical contexts to interact with neurobiological development in adolescence (Nelson and Guyer, 2011; Nelson et al, 2016, 2014, 2005). Given the importance of social relationships to well-being and optimal functioning, the human brain must be designed to promote social learning and affiliation with others across development.…”

What motivates adolescents? Neural responses to rewards and their influence on adolescents’ risk taking, learning, and cognitive control

“…In order to understand changes in adolescent motivated behavior these models stress a) the importance of studying brain-connectivity within and between limbic, affective-motivational, and cognitive control brain circuits (Casey, 2015;Casey et al, 2016), b) the influence of social context on observed neural sensitivities (Shulman et al, 2016;Nelson et al, 2016), and c) the importance of pubertal developmental changes and cortical-subcortical flexible interactions (Crone and Dahl, 2012).…”

Neural Correlates of Social Influence on Risk Taking and Substance Use in Adolescents

“…These studies revolutionized our understanding of adolescent decision making and challenged traditional views that the rise in risky behavior during adolescence occurs because adolescents are irrational or deficient in their decision-making capacities [17]. Rather, adolescents demonstrate unique sensitivity to social and affective contexts, perhaps as a result of the remodeling of the brain during puberty [18–19]. Based on developmental cognitive neuroscience research, we now know that the teenage brain is rapidly changing and adapting to its environment.…”