About this title:

Synopsis:

Renowned neurologist Dr. Frances E. Jensen offers a revolutionary look at the brains of teenagers, dispelling myths and offering practical advice for teens, parents and teachers.

Dr. Frances E. Jensen is chair of the department of neurology in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and an internationally known expert in neurology and the teenage brain. As a mother, teacher, researcher, clinician and frequent lecturer to parents and teens, she is in a unique position to explain to readers the mystery and magic of the teen brain. In The Teenage Brain, Dr. Jensen will bring to readers the new, sometimes astonishing findings that remain buried in academic journals. Along the way, she will explore a few myths about adolescent behaviour and offer pointers and practical suggestions on how to negotiate this difficult and dynamic life stage for parents, teachers and even teens themselves.

The Teenage Brain is one of the first books to focus exclusively on the mind development of adolescents and will dispel the many widespread misunderstandings about teenage brains. Samples of some of the most recent findings that will be discussed in the book include:

• Teens are better learners than adults because their brain cells more readily “build” memories than adults. But this special gift has a downside: their heightened adaptability can be hijacked by addiction, and the adolescent brain can become addicted more strongly and for a longer duration than the adult brain.
• Venus and Mars really emerge in adolescence. In fact, studies show that girls’ brains are a full two years more mature than boys’ brains in the mid-teens, possibly explaining differences seen in the classroom, as well as in their social behaviour.
• Contrary to popular opinion, adolescents may not be as resilient to the effects of drugs as we think they are. Recent experimental and human studies show that occasional use of marijuana, for instance, can cause lingering memory problems, even days after smoking, and that long-term use of pot impacts later adulthood IQ.
• Multi-tasking causes divided attention and has been shown to reduce learning ability in the teenage brain. Multi-tasking also has some addictive qualities, which may result in habitual short attention in teenagers.
• Emotionally stressful situations may impact the adolescent more than the adult: stress in these years can have permanent effects on mental health and has been reported to lead to higher risk of developing certain neuropsychiatric disorders, such as depression.

The book will present hard data intermingled with accessible and relatable anecdotes drawn from Dr. Jensen’s experiences as a parent, clinician and public speaker. Finally, The Teenage Brain will offer practical suggestions for how parents, teens, schools and even the legal system can better deal with adolescents on their journey into adulthood.

From the Back Cover:

Drawing on her research, knowledge, and clinical experience, internationally respected neurologist?and mother of two boys?Frances E. Jensen, MD, offers a revolutionary look at the adolescent brain, providing remarkable insights that translate into practical advice both for parents and teenagers.

Driven by the assumption that brain growth was almost complete by the time a child reached puberty, scientists believed for many years that the adolescent brain was essentially an adult one?only with fewer miles on it. Over the last decade, however, neurology and neuroscience have revealed that the teen years encompass vitally important stages of brain development.

Motivated by her experience of parenting two teenagers, renowned neurologist Frances E. Jensen, MD, gathers what we’ve discovered about adolescent brain functioning and wiring, and in this groundbreaking, accessible book, explains how these eye-opening findings not only dispel commonly held myths about teens but also yield practical suggestions for adults and teenagers negotiating the mysterious and magical world of adolescent biology.

Interweaving clear summary and analysis of research data with anecdotes drawn from her years as a clinician, researcher, and public speaker, Dr. Jensen explores adolescent brain functioning and development in the context of learning and multitasking, stress and memory, sleep, addiction, and decision making. Examining data connecting substance use to lingering memory issues and, sometimes, a lower adult IQ, The Teenage Brain explains why teenagers are not as resilient to the effects of drugs as we previously thought; reveals how multitasking impacts learning ability and concentration; and examines the consequences of stress on mental health during and beyond adolescence.

Rigorous yet accessible, warm yet direct, The Teenage Brain sheds new light on the brains?and behaviors?of adolescents and young adults, and analyzes this knowledge to share specific ways in which parents, educators, and even the legal system can help them navigate their way more smoothly into adulthood in our ever challenging world.