Teen brains over-process rewards, suggesting root of risky behavior, mental ills

Researchers have made the first electrode recordings of individual neuron activity in adolescent and adult rat brains -- or any other brain -- during the performance of a task. Upon receiving a reward, the adolescent brains erupted with excitation at levels well above that in adults in the brain region that weighs reward and punishment. The findings could help explain why teenagers are more prone than adults to rash behavior, addiction, and mental diseases.

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