Stephanie+Barajas

 Alcohol how it effects the brain..

A person’s brain does not stop developing until his or her early to mid-20s and adding alcohol to the mix is a recipe for disaster. The brain goes through dynamic change during adolescence, and alcohol can seriously damage long- and short-term growth processes. Frontal lobe development and the refinement of pathways and connections continue into the mid-20’s. Damage from alcohol at this time can be long-term and irreversible. (__http://why21.org/teen/#|1__) In addition, short-term or moderate drinking can impair learning and memory far more in youth than in adults. Adolescents need only drink half as much as adults to suffer the same negative effects.__

> > > http://why21.org/teen/____ Citation: MADD, "Alcohol and the Teen Brain." __Why 21?__. 2007. MADD. 16 May 2008 <[|1>. 
 * Alcohol impacts both behavior and brain function differently in adolescents and adults. (http://why21.org/teen/#|3__)
 * Adolescents are more vulnerable than adults to the effects of alcohol on learning and memory. (__http://why21.org/teen/#|4__)______
 * Alcohol affects the sleep cycle, resulting in impaired learning and memory as well as disrupted release of hormones necessary for growth and maturation. (http://why21.org/teen/#|5__)
 * Alcohol affects all parts of the brain, which affects coordination, emotional control, thinking, decision-making, hand-eye movement, speech, and memory. (http://why21.org/teen/#|6__)__
 * Adolescent drinkers perform worse in school, are more likely to fall behind and have an increased risk of social problems, depression, suicidal thoughts and violence. (http://why21.org/teen/#|7__)
 * Binge drinking is extremely dangerous for adolescents given that their brain is especially vulnerable to alcohol-related damage. (http://why21.org/teen/#|8__)
 * People who begin drinking in their early teens are not only at greater risk for developing alcoholism sometime in their lives, they are also at greater risk for developing alcoholism more quickly and at younger ages, especially chronic, relapsing alcoholism.

SUMMARY: Alchol affects either teenager or adult in many ways..it's bad period. Here is some information on how it affects the brain and how it makes you function.

Steinberg, a Temple University psy- chology professor, helped draft an American Psychological Association brief for a 2005 case in which the U.S. Supreme Court outlawed the death penalty for crimes committed before age 18. That ruling relies on the most recent research on the adolescent brain, which indicates the juvenile brain is still maturing in the teen years, and reasoning and judgment are developing well into the early to mid-20s. It often is cited as state lawmakers consider scaling back punitive juvenile justice laws passed during the 1990s. "As any parent knows," wrote Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy for the 5-4 major-ity, youths are more likely to show "a lack of maturity and an underdeveloped sense of responsibility" than adults. "... These qualities often result in impetuous and ill- considered actions and decisions." He also noted that "juveniles are more vulnerable or susceptible to negative influences and outside pressures, including peer pressure," causing them to have less control over their environment. Some child advocates have pointed to the Supreme Court decision and the research as evidence that teens -- even those accused of serious crimes -- should not be regarded in the same way as adults in the criminal justice system. Explanation is not absolution Dr. David Fassler, a psychiatry professor at the University of Vermont College of Medicine who has testified before legislative committees on brain development, says the research doesn't absolve teens but offers some explanation for their behavior. "It doesn't mean adolescents can't make a rational decision or appreciate the difference between right and wrong," he said. "It does mean, particularly when confronted with stressful or emotional decisions, they are more likely to act impulsively, on instinct, without fully understanding or analyzing the consequences of their actions."

RITTER, MALCOLM. "Teens at the mercy of developing brains." __The Modesto Bee__. December 04, 2007. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. 22 May 2008 .

Summary:The Brain is developing through the teen years and yet when you turn into your mid 20's. This here is talking about how this professor examines and discovers some amazing facts of the brain...

New research shows that when [|teens] and parents tackle touchy topics, the teen brain may affect how long and hard the teen argues. One particular area of the brain -- the amygdala, which is involved in fear and emotions -- stood out. In the study, 137 Australian adolescents aged 11 to 13 spent 20 minutes talking with their mom or dad about a source of conflict, such as lying or talking back to parents. The researchers videotaped and analyzed the discussions. The adolescents also got their brains scanned using [|magnetic resonance imaging]. Those brain scans weren't done while the adolescents were talking with their parents. Among the adolescents, those who spent more time talking aggressively with their parents about conflict tended to have bigger amygdalas. And during those discussions, boys (but not girls) with asymmetries in certain other parts of the brain tended to be more anxious and whiny. The brain is still maturing during the teen years. But it's not clear whether big amygdalas or brain asymmetries cause teens to argue aggressively, note the researchers. They included psychologist Sarah Whittle, PhD, at Australia's University of Melbourne. Whittle specializes in youth [|mental health].

Hitti, Miranda. "Teen Brain May Be Wired for Moodiness." __Brain Changes Might Make for Cranky Teen Behavior__. Feb. 25, 2008. WebMD Medical News. Feb. 25, 2008 .

Summary:This here is talking about how many things boys and girls do towards there parents affect a certain part of the brain and what's the name of it. Many things you do can defenitly affect the brain..

