The Developmental Trajectory Of Ef

Recent research has shown that the human brain continues to develop throughout childhood and adolescence, and may not be fully mature until the mid-20s. The prefrontal cortex of the brain, which regulates “executive” functioning skills, such as decision-making, planning, judgment, expression of emotions, and impulse control, is one of the last to

It is believed that a mutation in the prefrontal cortex predisposes some people to violence. The frontal lobe is what we use to make decisions and, when fully developed, allows us to think carefully about our actions before we take them. An alteration in the prefrontal cortex may make us susceptible to impulsive and rash behaviors. For example, teens tend to be more reckless than adults. The teen frontal lobe is not fully formed, which is the reason for this outcome. Teens also tend to rely on their amygdalas to make decision. The amygdala is the center for powerful emotions, such as anger, jealousy, and guilt. For example, psychopaths have been found to be void of guilt and regret as a result of “the amygdala [being] less activated when they

The frontal lobes in the cortex are accountable for learning and problem solving (395). Happenings are recorded in the prefrontal cortex to expand the volume of learning. When children feel they are being threatened, the steadfast territories of the limbic system are triggered before the more time consuming prefrontal cortex has a chance to evaluate any stimulus (395). Therefore, due to the constant feelings of threat in abused children,

“Affect regulation, brain development, and behavioral/emotional health in adolescence.” CNS Spectrums 2001; 6:1: 60-61. Luna, B. et al. “The emergence of collaborative brain function: fMRI studies investigating the development of response suppression.” Adolescent Brain Development; Annals of the New York Academy of Science.

The prefrontal cortex which is the center for planning, reasoning, thinking of the consequences of our own actions, and self-control, is not fully developed during teenage years which explains the tendency towards risk taking and impulsiveness. The limbic and paralimbic areas are particularly responsive to emotional and social stimuli and seem to have an increased activity during adolescence. The same study states that the limbic system is not always hypersensitive during adolescence but “in the presence of peers or under conditions of emotional arousal, however, the socioemotional network becomes sufficiently activated to diminish the regulatory effectiveness of the cognitive-control network” (Steinberg,

Researchers have found that the chronic stress associated with poverty can significantly impact the development of the prefrontal cortex (Wilber et al., 2011). This has major neurological implications because research has shown that deficiencies in the prefrontal cortex can explain deficits in executive functioning, cognition, language, sociability and emotion (Rinaldi et al., 2008 ; Price, 2006). This would be consistent with neurobehavioural disorders that are associated with the prefrontal cortex, included ADHD and autism. This negative impact on the prefrontal cortex is further explored with research that shows significant differences in executive functioning between children from higher and lower income households (Lipina et al., 2005).

Construct validity. The items on the BDEFS-CA were developed from Barkley’s Hybrid Theory of Executive Functioning. Items on the BDEFS-CA reflect the major components of this theory, indicating high face validity. The author contends that neuropsychological

Another cognitive process that develops in this stage is working memory capacity. Between the ages of 6 and 12, the time it takes to process information decreases quickly (Berk, 2014, p. 302). The speed of thinking has a direct effect on working memory, and this is where a difference in the individual intelligence of children truly begins to reveal itself (Berk, 2014, p. 302). Another cognitive development is the development of executive function, where it “undergoes its most energetic period of development” (Berk, 2014, p. 302). Even more noticeable of a development in cognition is the development of attention. While infants and toddlers and even young children can be distracted easily, a child in middle childhood has a more focused attention (Berk, 2014, p. 303). Children learn to only pay attention to information that is relevant to their current focus (Berk, 2014, p. 303). Another advance in cognition is the development of metacognition, where children are more aware of their mental activities (Berk, 2014, p. 306). Despite this awareness of their own mental state, children are still not fully able to achieve cognitive self-regulation, or the “process of continuously

Adolescence poses a greater risk for the negative impacts that marijuana may have on cognitive function. (George et al., 2015). During adolescent the brain is still under construction at least until the early or mid 20’s. (George et al., 2015). The brain is thought to be particularly sensitive to damage from drug exposure. (Gruber et al., 2014). And the frontal cortex – the region critical to planning, judgement,

The prefrontal cortex is responsible for planning, reasoning. A study by Monte Buchsbaum (1985) examined the brain of 41 convicted murders who pleaded guilty under the reasons of insanity. The MRI scans of the participants displayed they had in fact psychological disorders, when compared to the control group of normal functioning brains. In certain locations of the murders brain they were found to have far less nerve cell activity. “The key difference between the murders and the control groups MRI scans was in the prefrontal cortex, the bundle of white matter behind the forehead” (Monmaney, 1998). The front lobe was displayed to have a large effect on the prevalence of aggression. The prefrontal cortex and amygdala are both localised in the frontal lobe. Both work collaboratively and influence the behaviour aggression and decision making in potentially life threatening situations. Another location of the brain contributing to aggression in the pre frontal cortex is the cingulate

In the text the teenage brain it's just not grown up yet.The author gives key details from what drugs do to kids and the frontal lobes not being connected.The author states that without the frontal lobes being completely attached it is harder to think about decisions and the outcome of the action.The limbic system and the prefrontal cortex has something to do with this.The limbic system involves basic movements and it matures much faster than the prefrontal cortex.the prefrontal cortex involves with foreseeing and decision.SInce the limbic system is much faster than the prefrontal cortex actions are carried

While the dorsolateral cortex and orbital cortex are, “the outer and upper areas of the front of the brain, which is important for skills such as planning ahead and controlling impulses” and “the area of the brain which is important for evaluating risks and rewards” (Steinburg 2014). Both of these areas of the prefrontal cortex play a huge role in the adolescent years of our lives. The later these areas in the brain develop, the more time there is to behave in risky behavior, without first weighing the cost of said actions. Depending on the actions we take as an adolescent, they can affect our future drastically without us knowing. Research has shown that “full structural maturation of the pre-frontal cortex is not complete until mid-20s (Steinburg

Furthermore, greater examples of this comparison can be seen with analysis of studies performed particularly with children; in one example, it was seen that all ADHD children, which all previously showed deficiencies in executive function- and thus had problems with cognitive impulsivity, did not all show problems when it came to emotional regulation, rather only the subset with specific aggression problems did. Not only this, but it was proven that effortful control is known to be used increasingly with age, and primarily in girls rather than boys; this is due to the fact that effortful control is parallel with developmental and neurological changes in the prefrontal cortex, which girls experience quicker than boys. Another great determination of children using effortful control is regarded back to their very own personality traits. Studies show that the personality trait most associated with effortful control is consciousness; this is due to the fact that it allows one to control their short-term pleasure seeking impulses, and rather focus on attaining long-term goals; for example, when a child chooses to finish their homework, say prior to watching TV. On the other hand children who do not posses a great sense of consciousness, are rather known to have anti-social, reward-seeking, risk taking, delinquent behavior which is purely due to, as mentioned in the former, under development of prefrontal mechanisms which thus entail greater externalizing behaviors. Children with the latter personality traits are more known to show problems of antisocial personality disorder, poor behavior in not only the school setting, but home as well, overall depression, and even early drug use.

EF starts to develop as early as one’s first year of life, with substantial development occurring during the preschool age (Kegel & Bus, 2014; Weiland, Barata, & Yoshikawa, 2014). Specifically, working memory shows an increase in growth during the preschool year (Kegel & Bus, 2014). According to Miyake et al. (2000) numerous studies are available that show when age-appropriate tasks are available, preschool children show an increase in their EF competencies. Children between the ages of 6 years and 8 years show great improvement in non-verbal EFs (e.g., planning, organization, and inhibition). For those tasks requiring

Through the decades, researchers have tried to solve the mystery of the enigmatic prefrontal cortex. Along with the famous case of Phineas Gage (Harlow,1848), many studies have attempted to answer the burning question of either or not lesions to the prefrontal cortex lead to an antisocial behavior. The PFC, which is found in the frontal lobe and has an executive function, helps us have an appropriate response to social situations. Why is it important to study this matter? Because we are social creatures and knowing how to act in society is one of our basic needs. The studies which will be presented show that there is an obvious link between dysfunction of the PFC and an antisocial way of acting.