Anyone who deals with teens knows how tough the adolescent years can be. Teens are always known to do wild and dangerous things. 【小题1】. But now scientists have studied the physical development of the brain in more detail, leading to a new theory of why teens act the way they do.

Scientists discovered that though our brains are almost at their full size by the age of six, they are not fully developed. Now, scientists have found our brains continue to change till age 25. 【小题2】.

The studies confirm teens are more likely to take risks and behave in extreme ways. One way the brain does this is by changing the way teens think of danger and reward. When teenagers think about rewards, their brains produce more chemicals that create pleasure than adult brains would. 【小题3】. It also makes teens feel excited about new experiences more keenly than adults do.

Besides, researchers found it makes social bonds especially rewarding. Generally, teenagers have an intense need to meet new people and think the peers may one day control the world they live in. As it’s still developing, a teenage brain can change to deal with new situations. 【小题4】. In this way, the brain encourages teens to have a wide circle of friends.

Some people think that this hunt for greater rewards can sometimes lead teenagers to go to extremes. 【小题5】. It means that teens are more likely, and less afraid, to try new things or to be independent. The scientists’ findings suggest that in the long run, the impulses of the teen brain are what help teens leave their parents’ care and live their own lives successfully.