Teens Who Take Risks Mature Faster

Teenagers who indulge in dangerous activities have a more mature brain as compared to their less adventurous peers, according to a new brain imaging study. The study, which focused on teen behaviour, found that adolescents with risky behaviour have frontal white matter tracts that are more adult in form than their more conservative peers. "In the past, studies have focused on the pattern of gray matter density from childhood to early adulthood. With new technology, we were able to develop the first study looking at how development of white matter relates to activities in the real world," said Dr. Gregory Berns, an ACTSI investigator. Read more...