Module 4: "The Digital Revolution and the Adolescent Brain Evolution"

Humans, on the other hand, are remarkably adaptable. We can survive everywhere from the frigid North and South poles to the balmy islands on the equator.

Instead many of us spend the majority of our waking hours dealing with words or symbols—a particularly noteworthy departure given that reading, which is approximately 5,000 years old, did not even exist for most of human history.

Having a highly plastic brain is particularly useful during the second decade, when the evolutionary demands of adolescence—being able to survive independently and reproduce—rely critically on the ability to adapt.

Insight into the neurobiology of the developing brain has been greatly enhanced by the advent of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which allows exquisitely accurate pictures of brain anatomy and physiology without the use of ionizing radiation.

Insight into the neurobiology of the developing brain has been greatly enhanced by the advent of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which allows exquisitely accurate pictures of brain anatomy and physiology without the use of ionizing radiation.

After puberty the brain does not mature by growing larger; it matures by growing more specialized.

Gray matter volumes during the first three decades of life follow an inverted “U” shaped developmental trajectory with peak size occurring at different ages in different regions.

Gray matter volumes during the first three decades of life follow an inverted “U” shaped developmental trajectory with peak size occurring at different ages in different regions.

The complementary mechanisms of overproduction/selective elimination allow the brain to specialize in response to environmental demands.

The amount of time spent on video games is increasing across all age groups as the quality and variety of games continues to improve and the availability of mobile devices becomes more ubiquitous.

Highly popular games encompass a wide range of genres, degree of intellectual demand, and solitary versus interpersonal formats.

Highly popular games encompass a wide range of genres, degree of intellectual demand, and solitary versus interpersonal formats.

Game consoles such as Wii Fit and Kinect interact with body movement providing infinitely scalable physical challenges that blur the distinction between video gaming and conventional athletic endeavors.

Dopamine is the predominant molecular currency of the reward system, and a key component of the circuitry is the nucleus accumbens.