The role of neuroplasticity in risk behaviour during adolescence
Keywords:
Adolescent Behavior, Brain Development, Gonadal Steroid Hormones, Neuroplasticity, Risk-TakingAbstract
This Letter to the Editor complements the article “Risk Behaviors in Adolescents.” It integrates the concept of neuroplasticity as key to understanding and modulating adolescent behavior. During adolescence, intense brain reorganization occurs, particularly in the prefrontal cortex and the limbic system, which mature asynchronously. This phenomenon, explained by models such as dual-systems theory and disequilibrium theory, fosters greater sensitivity to rewards and less inhibitory control. Neural plasticity—both structural and functional—enables learning, but also creates vulnerabilities to adverse environments. Adolescence is highlighted as a second “critical window” of neuroplasticity, modulated by neuroendocrine factors. Finally, the need to consider these findings in the design of timely biopsychosocial interventions that integrate education, health, and family support is emphasized, in order to prevent risk behaviors and promote healthy developmental trajectories.
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