Risk, Resilience, and the Adolescent Brain

Dr. Karen Soren, Professor of Pediatrics at Columbia University, toured Tunisia in December. She gave two lectures, one at the School of Medicine of the University of Tunis and the other at the School of Medicine of the University of Monastir.

In Tunis she spoke on "Risk, Resilience, and the Adolescent Brain" - the transition from childhood to adulthood encompasses an impressive array of physical and psychological changes that occur over a span of ten to fifteen years. As we learn more and more about the adolescent brain, we realize that how it develops during these years is responsible for many of the impulsive and puzzling behaviors we see in our adolescents and young adults. This talk will focus on understanding risk and resilience in the context of adolescent brain development.

In Monastir she spoke on "Talking to Teenagers: How Understanding Adolescent Brain Development Can Enhance the Doctor-Patient Relationship" - the transition from childhood to adulthood encompasses an impressive array of physical and psychological changes that occur over a span of ten to fifteen years. As we learn more and more about the adolescent brain, we realize that how it develops during these years is responsible for many of the impulsive and puzzling behaviors we see in our adolescents and young adults. This talk will discuss how risk-taking is a biological imperative facilitated by the asynchronous development of the adolescent brain, and how this risk-taking is necessary for the emergence of independence. Understanding the progression of adolescent cognitive development can then help health care providers better relate to and counsel their adolescent patients.