PSYCH 250 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Major Depressive Disorder, Secondary Sex Characteristic, The Mindy Project
Document Summary
A period of contradiction in terms of health. Low rate of serious medical conditions, such as cancer, heart conditions, diabetes. High risk of risky behaviors that lead to injury and death (driving, drugs, suicide) Competitive elimination of synaptogenesis (if the synapse connections aren"t important, they go away) Myelination still occurs (increases in myelin during adolescence and beyond) Involved in seeking out rewards, like positive social interactions, thrills, drugs. Increased size of frontal lobe is grey matter at puberty onset, then decrease (suggests overproduction of synapses, then pruning) Areas of brain with many cell bodies/dendrites and little myeline. The set of biological processes that change the immature child into a sexually mature person. Puberty is occurring earlier now than in the past due to better nutrition/health. Adrenal glands peak in early 20"s, causing the growth of hair, skin changes, and sexual desires.
