Adolescence is marked by the release of certain hormones sparking the growth of pubic hair, breasts in females and gonadal development in both males and females. The hormonal development affecting the body also affects the brain. Sex steroids such as testosterone and oestradiol have been shown to influence the production and pruning of synapses in different brain regions. There are particularly large concentrations of hormone receptors in subcortical regions of the brain, specifically the amygdala and hippocampus.

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Click on the topics below to find out more about the science in the film.

Sleep      ***      Hormonal Changes      ***      Prefrontal Changes
Inhibitory Control      ***      Mental Time Travel      ***      Limbic Changes
Sensation Seeking       ***       Risk taking       ***       Social Development
Theories of Adolescence      ***     Evolution      ***      Mental Health
Neuroconstructivism      ***     Educational Neuroscience
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