A groundbreaking look at the teenage brain for anyone who has puzzled over the mysterious and often infuriating behavior of a teenager.
While many members of the scientific community have long held that the growing pains of adolescence are primarily psychological, Barbara Strauch highlights the physical nature of the transformation, offering parents and educators a new perspective on erratic teenage behavior. Using plain language, Strauch draws upon the latest scientific discoveries to make the case that the changes the brain goes through during adolescence are as dramatic and...

As Strauch reveals, scientists now recognize that there is a biological component to why teenagers are so likely to slam the door and hide out in their rooms at the least provocation. There is a reason they are articulate and idealistic one moment, and incoherent and self-centred the next, or are so attracted to drugs, alcohol and high speeds. And it's not just hormones. New studies show that far from stopping growing at seven or eleven, the brain undergoes a complete rewiring - particularly the frontal cortex, the part of the brain that governs logic and emotions - in adolescence. Why are...

A leading science writer examines how our brains improve in middle age.
Pulitzer Prize-winning science writer Barbara Strauch explores the latest findings that demonstrate how the middle-aged brain is more flexible and capable than previously thought. In fact, new research from neuroscientists and psychologists suggests that the brain reorganizes, improves in important functions, and even helps us adopt a more optimistic outlook in middle age. We recognize patterns faster, make better judgments, and find unique solutions to problems. Part scientific survey, part how-to guide,...