Prefrontal Cortex Changes During The Adolescent Period

The prefrontal cortex changes dramatically during the adolescent period. Gray matter declines in late adolescence years. It contains cell body and connections between cells, called synapses, and this decline corresponds to synapses pruning. Synapses pruning is the elimination of unwanted synapses. This process is partly dependent upon the environment. Synapses that are exercised are being strengthened and those that are not will be pruned away.
She then focuses on social brain using a functional MRI to look at changes in the brain which is the network of brain regions that we use to understand other people and to interact with other people. She shows an illustration of a soccer game where a player missed the goal and everyone rooting for