ABSTRACT
Behavioral research has supported the protracted development of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) by showing that executive functions, such as working memory and inhibitory control, continue to improve until late adolescence. Beginning in the second decade of life, grey matter volume, composed of neurons and their interconnections, starts to decline, while white matter, the insulating material that encases neuronal connections, starts to increase. Studies of brain structure and function suggest that self-control is enhanced by greater connectivity between cognitive control regions, such as the dorsolateral PFC and other regions that are involved in carrying out and motivating behavior, such as the striatum and limbic circuits. Longitudinal studies indicate that although most youth pass through adolescence with low or declining levels of antisocial behavior, those exposed to harsh and neglectful parenting and impoverished backgrounds are at greater risk for antisocial behaviors.
