The thrills of a lifetime: the teen brain is wired for thrills, chills, and adventure. Here's how to make the most of it

Science World, April 26, 2004 by Laura D'Angelo

"It's really scary," says 16-year-old Que Walker. "You're nervous and shaking. Then afterward, you get that same feeling you get coming off a roller coaster. You want to go again!"

Is Que talking about the effects of a drug? Other articles in this series have presented the stories of teens who've abused LSD, cocaine, and painkilling drugs. Although Que's intense feelings might sound like a drug high, she doesn't get her thrills from drugs. This teenager from Cleveland Heights, Ohio, is describing a poetry jam, where she reads her own verses to other teens.

NOT YOUR PARENTS' BRAIN

There's a reason Que is attracted to something as terrifying as baring her innermost thoughts to a live audience. It's the same reason you might get a thrill from the latest hit radio song, a new friend, or a cool cell phone: You're both teenagers. Your brains are different from an adult brain in many ways.

First, the emotional center of the brain develops early. The brain's limbic system is responsible for emotional reactions, especially those involving pleasure or excitement. When you think about a cheeseburger or a scary movie you don't make a decision to feel a certain way; your limbic system makes it happen. In teenagers, this system is highly active. Big emotions come easily to teens.

TEEN DRIVE

Your teen brain helps you in the most important task of adolescence: becoming an accomplished, independent adult. The limbic system creates feelings of drive and motivation. You'll study harder and practice longer because your teenage brain is built for that. Teenagers also seek out risky experiences that create big emotional reactions. "Adolescents are learning to become adults, and learning new things always involves risk," says R. Andrew Chambers, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine in Connecticut. Of course, the same brain wiring that attracts teens to positive risks may also make truly dangerous experiences like drug use--seem attractive. And negative consequences are not always easy for teens to process.

There's a reason teens may find it harder than adults to plan ahead and consider consequences: the part of the brain responsible for those kinds of thought--the prefrontal cortex--is the last part of the brain to fully develop. "The prefrontal cortex is like the boss. It's very much about decision making, planning and regulating raw emotions," Dr. Chambers says. Compared to teens, the adult prefrontal cortex works more quickly to balance the emotional "gut" reaction of the limbic system.

SHAPING YOUR DRAIN

Knowing about your teen brain is important. As you head into adulthood, your daily experiences shape your brain. Brain paths for skills you don't use often are trimmed away. Pathways for skills and experiences you repeat are made stronger. This "brain pruning" is one reason why it is important for teens to have positive experiences.

Knowing this can help you seek out challenging experiences that don't put your brain or body at risk. "Anything a person finds challenging and interesting can have its rewards," says Linda Spear, Ph.D., distinguished professor of psychology at Binghamton University in New York.

Jeremiah Cobb, of Bolton, Massachusetts, climbed a 12,000-foot mountain in Wyoming last summer. "When we reached the top, it was a great feeling," the 16-year-old says. You might find satisfaction from cooking some spicy chili, or get a thrill from playing a new riff on your guitar. It's your teen brain: Enjoy it and use it wisely!