Adolescence: 10 to 19

From the ages of about 10 to 19, there are dynamic changes in brain networks involved in learning how to process emotions and motivations around different experiences, as teens navigate life that begins to move away from the safety of home.

“During adolescence, you have to learn to fend for yourself,” as you won’t have the same protection from parents as you did when you were younger, said Casey. “Learning the boundaries of society’s rules is exactly what adolescence is about, preparing you to be a functioning adult.”

This heightened sensitivity to the environment is reflected in another bout of widespread synaptic pruning and myelination, but especially in circuits underlying emotion and reward processing. It’s why teens are incentivized to explore new experiences, no matter how risky or threatening they can be.