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Adolescent Maturity and the Brain: The Promise and Pitfalls of Neuroscience Research in Adolescent Health Policy
Open accessAbstract
Longitudinal neuroimaging studies demonstrate that the adolescent brain continues to mature well into the 20s. This has prompted intense interest in linking neuromaturation to maturity of judgment. Public policy is struggling to keep up with burgeoning interest in cognitive neuroscience and neuroimaging. However, empirical evidence linking neurodevelopmental processes and adolescent real-world behavior remains sparse. Nonetheless, adolescent brain development research is already shaping public policy debates about when individuals should be considered mature for policy purposes. With this in mind, in this article we summarize what is known about adolescent brain development and what remains unknown, as well as what neuroscience can and cannot tell us about the adolescent brain and behavior. We suggest that a conceptual framework that situates brain science in the broader context of adolescent developmental research would help to facilitate research-to-policy translation. Furthermore, although contemporary discussions of adolescent maturity and the brain often use a deficit-based approach, there is enormous opportunity for brain science to illuminate the great strengths and potentialities of the adolescent brain. So, too, can this information inform policies that promote adolescent health and well-being.
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“neuroimaging studies have shown that the brain continues to develop well into a person’s twenties”
From Effects of traumatic experiences on obsessive-compulsive and internalizing symptoms: The role of avoidance and mindfulness. (2018) · cites this paper as Johnson et al., 2009
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“the contradictory use of neuroscience and other psychological research to argue both for and against adolescent capacities for mature behavior [18]”
From Arrested development? Reconsidering dual-systems models of brain function in adolescence and disorders (2012) · cites this paper as [18]
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“the lack of selective structure-function mappings and brain-behavior mappings [18,56,75]”
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Metadata
- Authors
- Johnson, S. B., Blum, R. W., & Giedd, J. N.
- Affiliations
- Johns Hopkins University (US)
- National Institute of Mental Health (US)
- Venue
- Journal of Adolescent Health
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2009-09
- Volume
- 45
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 216-221
- ISSN
- 1054-139X (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC2892678
- OpenAlex
- W2016854025
- Cited by
- 631
- References
- 47
- Citations by year
- 2026: 31 · 2025: 48 · 2024: 38 · 2023: 40 · 2022: 54 · 2021: 56 · 2020: 55 · 2019: 66 · 2018: 48 · 2017: 37 · 2016: 44 · 2015: 30 · 2014: 26 · 2013: 18 · 2012: 16
- FWCI
- 0.92
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Journal of Adolescent Health (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health
- National Institute of Mental Health (ZIAMH002794)
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (K01DA027229)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Adolescent Health and Behaviors
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Keywords
- adolescent brain development, neuromaturation, adolescent maturity, adolescent health policy, research-to-policy translation, cognitive neuroscience, neuroimaging, judgment, deficit approach, youth welfare
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Brain, Female, Health Policy, Humans, Male, Neurosciences, Research, Adolescent Development
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