ABSTRACT
This chapter represents an introduction to the book as a whole. It explains that the book addresses the concerns of adults, but it looks at these concerns from a different perspective. The book describes new knowledge about the teenage brain and shows how this knowledge can be helpful to all adults, including parents, teachers and other professionals working with this age group. We have recently learnt that there are major changes occurring in the brain during the teenage years. Understanding these changes offers important insights into teenage behaviour and gives us the opportunity to rethink our relationships with young people. The chapter outlines some essential elements of neuroscience in a non-scientific manner. These elements include information about the human brain, and about its structure and function. I cover the topics of scanning, the synapse, brain maturation and the key changes that occur in the teenage brain. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the relation between the brain and the environment. I show how the two interact, each influencing the other. The brain is a thing of wonder and mystery, yet its development is clearly affected by the circumstances of the teenager during this phase of major change and restructuring.
