Drugs and the Teen Brain.

PositionHEADS UP: REAL NEWS ABOUT DRUGS AND YOUR BODY

As a teacher, you know that teens are at a critical time of development. The brain doesn't become fully developed until the mid-20s. This fact makes teens especially susceptible to the harmful effects of drugs and alcohol, putting them at a greater risk for addiction as well as damage to the brain. By sharing the article "Drugs and the Teen Brain" and teaching this lesson, you will help students learn how their brain develops and why using drugs and alcohol is especially risky.

Critical-Thinking Questions

1 Describe how your brain changes as you grow. How can these changes affect your behavior or abilities? Answers may include that as you grow older, you develop and refine synapses (connections between neurons). These signal pathways allow you to learn, and they support your memory and emotions. Parts of the brain develop at different times. Specific regions of the brain are responsible for tasks such as movement, emotions, and critical thinking. 4s each region matures, it strengthens a person's abilities in the tasks related to that region.

2 Explain the purpose of the prefrontal cortex and the limbic system in the brain. Give examples of types of behavior or activities that are controlled by each of these areas. The prefrontal cortex is the area of the brain that is involved in critical thinking and decision making. This area may be active when someone weighs the pros and cons of a decision, tries to solve a problem, or plans for the future. The limbic system is involved in emotions and rewards. This area is active when a certain activity makes you feel sad or happy, such as spending time with friends.

3 Why are teens more at risk for becoming addicted to drugs than adults? Support your answer with text evidence. Answers may include that people can become addicted to drugs because using them causes feelings of pleasure, which causes a release of dopamine in the brain. This chemical helps the brain remember the pleasurable experience. Over time, bursts of dopamine teach the brain to seek out drugs over any other rewarding experience. Teens are more at risk because the teen brain, which relies heavily on the reward center in the limbic system, is more sensitive to the effects of dopamine.

Writing Prompts

Grades 6-8 Explain how the prefrontal cortex helps to reduce risk-taking.

Grades 9-10 The legal drinking age is 21. Do you agree with this policy? Cite text evidence to support your answer.

Grades 11-12 Parts of the teen brain are not yet...

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