Description
Book SynopsisContemporary neuroscience has made remarkable strides in our understanding of the developing adolescent brain--an area of study previously reserved for developmental psychologists and pediatric endocrinologists. With an eye toward the history and future of the field, Coming of Age takes a look at the research that brought about this paradigm shift. Current advances in neuroscience have changed the way we think about everything--from how drugs and stress influence adolescent development to how hormones cause differing developmental trajectories among females and males.Sisk and Romeo guide students and non-specialist researchers alike through the basic science of brain and behavioral development. Important social and ethical questions are raised including: Why does puberty continue to occur at a younger age? Why does teenage behavior embrace risk and volatility? When does adolescent development end? And how should our understanding of adolescent development affect the juvenile justice system?
Trade ReviewThe text provides a great service to thefield as it provides an overall context to understand researchexamining the social forces on pubertal development. * Kiely Perrus, Indiana University, Bloomington, Bloomington, IN, USA *
Coming of Age explores puberty and adolescence scientifically and holistically. Sisk and Romeo show us how reproductive hormones act on a susceptible substrate (the teenage brain) to shape behavior. This book is an accessible and engaging synthesis of current research that gives a nuanced portrait of adolescent maturation." -Ruth I. Wood, PhD, Professor of Integrative Anatomical Sciences, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California
Sisk and Romeo expertly explain how puberty coaxes our brains through 'nothing short of a metamorphosis.' They recount scientific insights into this transformation with stories of capons, teen moxie, and testosterone." -Linda Wilbrecht, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychology and member of the Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley
This book is a must-read for students, scholars, and anyone interested in understanding what makes adolescents tick. Sisk and Romeo are the world's experts on puberty and adolescent brain development and they have translated their extensive knowledge into a comprehensible, evidence-based, and intriguing book." -Adriana Galván, PhD, Professor of Psychology and member of the Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles
Table of ContentsChapter 1 Introduction Chapter 2 Puberty: It Started with a Little Kiss... Chapter 3 Remodeling the Adolescent Brain: What's in the Tool Box? Chapter 4 Remodeling the Adolescent Brain: From Local to Global Chapter 5 Executive Function: What Were You Thinking? Chapter 6 Puberty, Hormones, and the Social Brain Chapter 7 Stress and the Adolescent Brain: The Perfect Storm Chapter 8 Drugs and the Adolescent Brain: Eggs Anyone? Chapter 9 Puberty and Adolescence in a Life-Span Context
