Youth's Conceptions of Adolescence Predict Longitudinal Changes in Prefrontal Cortex Activation and Risk Taking During Adolescence

Abstract

The development of cognitive control during adolescence is paralleled by changes in the function of the lateral prefrontal cortex (PFC). Using a three-wave longitudinal neuroimaging design (N = 22, M = 13.08 years at Wave 1), this study examined if youth's stereotypes about teens modulate changes in their neural activation during cognitive control. Participants holding stereotypes of teens as irresponsible in the family context (i.e., ignoring family obligations) in middle school showed increases in bilateral ventrolateral PFC activation during cognitive control over the transition to high school, which was associated with increases in risk taking. These findings provide preliminary evidence that youth's conceptions of adolescence play a role in neural plasticity over this phase of development.

Brain and Cognitive Development in Adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa: A Systematic Review of fMRI Studies

“…Moreover, cognitive control seems also to be negatively affected by a history of stressful experiences at an earlier time in life, leading to poorer interpersonal relationship quality during adolescence [20]. Furthermore, the personal conception that adolescents have of their own age is associated with activity changes in the frontal regions during the transition from middle to high school, reflecting the influence of psychological adjustment during this shift [21]. In particular, subjects who conceived adolescence as a period of “rebellion” toward family rules showed a greater increase in frontal activity when shifting from middle to high school, coupled to higher risk-taking behavior [21].…”

“…Different networks also undergo selective modifications, with the default mode network (DMN) showing increasing inter- and intra-system connectivity and the sensorimotor network (SMN), on the other hand, becoming increasingly segregated from other systems [15]. Moreover, several other factors can affect brain development in this critical period, such as nutrition [19], history of stress during childhood [20], and psychological constructs [21].…”

Opportunities for Neurodevelopmental Plasticity From Infancy Through Early Adulthood

“…who examined adolescents. To study change in adolescence and early adulthood, five studies used either fMRI while participants were at rest (Sylvester et al., ) or when paired with a task (Lauharatanahirun et al., ; Qu, Pomerantz, McCormick, & Telzer, ; Schreuders et al., ; Vilgis et al., ). Finally, two studies assessed brain structure using MRI to quantify the volume of specific brain regions or the thickness and surface of cortical areas (Becht et al., ; Ferschmann et al., ).…”

“…To assess brain reactivity and connectivity, the studies presented in this section used EEG (Lahat et al, 2018;MacNeill, Ram, Bell, Fox, & P erez-Edgar, 2018) and event-related potentials (ERPs; Brooker, 2018;Pickron, Iyer, Fava, & Scott, 2017) in early development, with the exception of Lahat et al who examined adolescents. To study change in adolescence and early adulthood, five studies used either fMRI while participants were at rest (Sylvester et al, 2017) or when paired with a task (Lauharatanahirun et al, 2018;Qu, Pomerantz, McCormick, & Telzer, 2018;Schreuders et al, 2018;Vilgis et al, 2018). Finally, two studies assessed brain structure using MRI to quantify the volume of specific brain regions or the thickness and surface of cortical areas (Becht et al, 2018;Ferschmann et al, 2018).…”

“…Three studies in this special section examined how the brain changes over time in relation to risk taking and reward processing. Qu et al (2018) examined whether the neurodevelopment of cognitive control associated with changes in the PFC across adolescence would be altered as a function of adolescents' perceptions of teens as being irresponsible. The authors hypothesized that youth who view the teenage years as marked by irresponsibility and lack of familial connection would lag in the development of cognitive control and engage in increased risk taking.…”