ABSTRACT
The adolescent years often have been defined as a time of "storm and stress," during which many teens experience periods of conflict, moodiness, and strife as they transition from childhood to young adulthood. During adolescence, much brain pruning and reorganization is evident in the frontal lobe, which is that part of the brain thought to distinguish humans from other mammals. The prefrontal cortex is one of the last regions of the brain to develop fully and connect to other parts of the prefrontal region as well as to the limbic subcortical area. Often depression and other behavioral problems such as eating disorders can occur during adolescence, sometimes related to social relationships but also due to other unresolved issues in the adolescent's life. Adolescence is a time when many adults expect adult-like behaviors that are still only in the process of being fully developed. The articulateness and outwardly confident appearance of many adolescents may make such expectations seem appropriate.
