Adolescent Brains Biologically Wired to Engage in Risky Behavior

AUTHOR: (Author unnamed) University of Texas at Austin, edited by ScienceDaily staff

PUBLICATION NAME: Science Daily

DATE OF PUBLICATION: June 6, 2010

SUMMARY:

As we all know, teenagers are known for making the most egregious mistakes and the riskiest of decisions. Could there be a true biological reason behind this stereotypical teenage behavior? Learning seems to rely on prediction error because if the world is exactly as you expected it to be, there is nothing new to learn.

Poldrack, a professor of psychology and neurology had stated, "Our results raise the hypothesis that these risky behaviors, such as experimenting with drugs or having unsafe sex, are actually driven by over activity in the mesolimbic dopamine system, a system which appears to be the final destination to all addictions, in the teenage brain."

Scientists have uncovered 'positive prediction error signal's that link to learning. Professor Poldrack stated that previous research has shown that the dopamine system in the brain is responsive towards prediction errors. Reward prediction error is defined as the difference between an expected outcome of an action and the actual outcome. Prediction errors have ties with learning. The human brain will take and reject whatever it wants to.

"Learning seems to rely on prediction error because if the world is exactly as you expected it to be, there is nothing new to learn", says Poldrack.

An experiment was conducted with participants from age eight to thirty, testing to see which age group would elicit the most dopamine response. Dopamine refers to one one of the most important factors for the motivation to seek rewards. Afterwards, the greater prediction error signals in the teenage brain could result in increased motivation to receive more positive outcomes, and greater risk-taking.

But unfortunately, this study is nothing but a theory. Questions afloat the minds of bio-psychological scientists. Can teenagers really control all their decisions, both good and bad? Is the idea being over analyzed? Could their adolescent behavior only be some sort of philosophy? Are biological differences really playing a part of this?

In the end, no one really knows.

LINKS TO STUDY: N/A

ARTICLE: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100603132458.htm

SUBMITTED BY: Cecile F. Zapanta