We fail to understand the mechanism of impulsiveness in adolescents because we miss the big picture. We associate it with a phase in an individual’s life but it is not a phase; it is biology — evolution, not just biochemistry. Taking risks, seeking high-flung adventures, isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
It is clear that adolescence lacks a perfect inhibitory control system, but this is for a good reason. It has survived evolution, said psychiatrist Beatriz Luna. This means that it allows new experiences to provide information about the environment that is critical for the optimal specialisation of the brain. To put it in another way, self-control is not just about the ability to inhibit a behaviour for a moment. It is much more than that; it has a trajectory that dates with the future.
“Executive function involves not only reflexive responses but actually being prepared ahead of time to create an appropriate plan”, said Christos Constantinidis who co-researched with Luna, “This is the change between the adolescent and adult brain and it is strikingly clear both in the human data and in the animal data.”
SNEAK PEEK
1. When it itches
We touch many things, rough and soft, but itch sensation is markedly distinct because it has a specialised pathway within the spinal cord. Some neurons in the spinal cord act like cellular brakes to keep the itch pathway turned off most of the time. Who discovered this?
Answer: Dr Martyn Goulding (Salk Institute for Biological Studies)
2. Like a story stored
You tell a story to your friends and you retell it to others, thereby making new connections. If one person forgets the story, others will fill in the gaps. Who observed that, in an analogous way, “your neurons help each other out to encode memories that will persist over time”?
Answer: Caltech postdoctoral scholar Walter Gonzalez
3. Left to their fate
As researchers heavily focus on a few charismatic species in well-protected habitats, more than half of the 504 primate species are left out of research literature. Not studying them makes it impossible to know what risks they face in their habitats. Who reported the situation?
Answer: Anthropologist Michelle Bezanson (Santa Clara University)
4. Language, health
Genetic variants in six genes are thought to contribute to language development in children. Half of these variants are found to be linked to poor mental health. This means children with language disorders may have poor mental health. Who reported this tricky situation?
Answer: Dr Umar Toseeb (University of York)
5. Awesome stature
With an overall height that can reach 19 feet, the giraffe’s stature is an evolutionary miracle. Researcher Douglas Cavener said “it has inspired awe and wonder for at least 8,000 years” — as far back as the famous rock carvings found in a certain location. Where is that?
Answer: At Dabous in the Republic of Niger
6. Partner’s finances
Financial socialisation means how do individuals learn how to save, how to budget and how to responsibly borrow — all the basics. If you are a 24-year-old person, your perception of how your partner handles finances may have an impact on your well-being. Who said it?
Answer: Psychologist Melissa Curran (University of Arizona)
7. As noise hits water
Cohesion and coordination in fish schools help them avoid predators and share information socially. A number of human activities generate a great deal of noise that travels faster in water than in air. Who found that these make fish become less cohesive and coordinated?
Answer: Dr Christos Ioannou (University of Bristol)
8. All is not lost!
Here is something that is usually overlooked in dementia research. “All is not lost” to dementia if couples affected by dementia are really engaged. That is, “if they can still relate to one another and if they focus on the here and now”. Who came up with this hopeful
note?
Answer: Christine L. Williams (Florida Atlantic University)
9. Bitcoin footprint
Although Bitcoin is a virtual currency, the energy consumption associated with its use is not virtual. The Bitcoin system has a carbon footprint of 22 to 22.9 megatons per year. Who found it to be comparable to the footprint of such cities as Hamburg, Vienna or Las Vegas?
Answer: Christian Stoll (Technical University of Munich)
QUIZ No. 918
1. A helmet suggests safety even if the wearer is just sitting on a bike. Who proved it?
a) Dr Barbara Schmidt
b) Stephen Michael Kosslyn
c) Rivka Bertisch Meir
Answer: a) Dr Barbara Schmidt
2. Birds of a feather flock together. Who found that birds of the same smell tend to gel?
a) Amber Rice
b) Thomas Sadler Roberts
c) Herbert C. Robinson
Answer: a) Amber Rice
3. Education contributes to longevity more substantially than medical care. Who said so?
a) Patrick Krueger
b) Vanessa Siddle Walker
c) Susanne H. Rudolph
Answer: a) Patrick Krueger
4. Which famed NASA astronaut was the first real-life astronaut to appear on ‘Star Trek’?
a) Mae Jemison
b) Stuart Allen “Stu” Roosa
c) Robert S. Kimbrough
Answer: a) Mae Jemison
5. Which serial killer, at an early age, used to kill domestic cats to test their “nine lives”?
a) Christine Falling
b) Robert Charles Browne
c) William Henry Hance
Answer: a) Christine Falling