Question at position 15 Which of the following statements is true of the adolescent brain?They display fewer emotions due to the slow growth of the amygdala.Because of the quick development of the prefrontal cortex, they display stronger cognitive skills to control their impulses.The prefrontal cortex continues to mature into early adulthood.The developmental disjunction in the brain accounts for reduced risk-taking behavior of adolescents.

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Prefrontal cortex maturation extends into the mid-20s and is central to adolescent cognitive control and decision-making.

1. Relevant knowledge points and concepts
- Prefrontal cortex (PFC): responsible for planning, impulse control, decision-making, and weighing long-term consequences. 
- Limbic system/amygdala: involved in emotion processing, reward sensitivity, and emotional reactivity; develops earlier than the PFC. 
- Developmental mismatch (disjunction): the limbic system’s earlier maturation combined with a still-developing PFC leads to heightened emotionality and risk-taking in adolescence.

2. Step-by-step reasoning
- Empirical neurodevelopmental evidence shows synaptic pruning and myelination in the PFC continue well into early adulthood. This gradual maturation improves executive functions over time.
- Because the limbic system (including the amygdala) becomes responsive earlier, adolescents often experience strong emotions and reward-driven behavior before full cognitive control is in place.
- Therefore, the accurate statement is that the prefrontal cortex continues to mature into early adulthood.

3. Calculations/intermediate steps
- Not applicable (no numerical computation required); logical deduction follows from comparative timing of brain region development.

4. Why the correct answer is correct
- The statement “The prefrontal cortex continues to mature into early adulthood” directly reflects neuroscientific findings about prolonged PFC development and its link to improvements in impulse control, planning, and judgment across late adolescence into the 20s.

5. Why the other options are incorrect
- “They display fewer emotions due to the slow growth of the amygdala.” Incorrect: adolescents often show strong emotions because the amygdala and reward circuits are relatively active; they do not display fewer emotions.
- “Because of the quick development of the prefrontal cortex, they display stronger cognitive skills to control their impulses.” Incorrect: the PFC develops slowly, not quickly; impulse control is still maturing.
- “The developmental disjunction in the brain accounts for reduced risk-taking behavior of adolescents.” Incorrect: the disjunction accounts for increased, not reduced, risk-taking and impulsivity.

6. Conclusion
The correct choice is “The prefrontal cortex continues to mature into early adulthood,” which matches the provided answer.

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