User:Resijade/sandbox

During puberty, many changes happen to the brain that essentially makes teen brains work vastly different from brains of adults or kids. While the pituitary gland is releasing more hormones, various changes occur such as hair growth, changing shape of the body, and most importantly, further develops the brain. The circadian rhythm, which determines when people fall asleep and wake up, gets pushed back. Important parts of the brain such as the prefrontal cortex are still growing, and neurons are starting to gain myelin sheaths, starting in the back of the brain and working their way to the front. Teenage brains also undergoing a process called synaptic pruning, which is where some parts of the brain that are not used as much start to lose connectivity, meaning it is an important time to use the brain before you lose it. Teens also register information and respond with different parts of their brains, normally opting for an emotional response rather than a rational one. This can lead to more risk-taking by teens. Teens can also be more adaptive to changes in this period of time.