Teen Brain Bootcamp

Lesson 1: Cutting through the executive function confusion

Three core skills form the foundation of executive function — inhibitory control, working memory and cognitive flexibility. This lesson explores why adolescence is such an important and exciting period for developing these skills.
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Teens can have excellent executive function — just not all the time A Knowable Magazine Q&A with developmental cognitive neuroscientist Beatriz Luna.

The Breakthrough Years: A New Scientific Framework for Raising Thriving Teens A deeply researched book by child development researcher Ellen Galinsky reframing adolescence as a critical period for growth, agency and lifelong success.

Key concepts: Core science of adolescence An overview from the UCLA Center for the Developing Adolescent on how brain plasticity makes adolescence a prime time for growth.

Transcendent Thinking May Boost Teen Brains This article in Scientific American by neuroscientist Mary Helen Immordino-Yang explains how reflecting on life’s bigger questions can help integrate adolescents’ brain networks and support their long-term well-being.

Lesson 2: Dopamine: Myth, legend and reality

A primer on how the brain chemical dopamine fuels motivation, risk-taking and focus in adolescents — and why it’s crucial for learning.
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The beautiful adolescent brain: An evolutionary developmental perspective Rather than viewing the teen brain as being “unfinished,” this review in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences by B.J. Casey, Alexandra Cohen and Adriana Galván reframes it as primed for learning, connection and independence.

Puberty: Your Brain on Hormones This approachable review by Katherine Kabotyanski and Leah Somerville in Frontiers for Young Minds explores how puberty hormones reshape the brain’s processing of emotion, reward and social interaction.

Under-diagnosed and under-treated, girls with ADHD face distinct risks This Knowable Magazine article explores how ADHD in girls and women is often missed, leading to delayed diagnosis and higher emotional risks.

Lesson 3: How relationships shape teen executive function

Learn how a sense of belonging and being valued influence teen brains, making relationships matter more than ever during adolescence.
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Puberty may reboot the brain and behaviors This Science News Explores article highlights research showing that adolescence can provide an opportunity for the brain to “reset” after early life adversity.

A Neurocognitive Model of Self-Concept Development in Adolescence This Annual Review of Developmental Psychology article by developmental neuroscientist Eveline Crone and colleagues explores how adolescents’ sense of self changes as their brains develop — a process that can help them grow or cause stress, depending on their experiences.

Cultivating purpose in adolescence This report from the UCLA Center for the Developing Adolescent shares practical ideas for adults, schools and communities to help teens build a sense of purpose in all areas of their lives, from school to family and community.

Lesson 4: Beyond the panic: Teens, tech and agency

This lesson explores what’s known — and not known — about how digital media affects executive function and mental health in teens, and what the latest research says about encouraging healthy tech use.
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Social media and adolescent mental health: A consensus report of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine This consensus report breaks down what we know about social media’s effects on teen mental health and how to create safer, more supportive digital environments.

Engaging, safe, and evidence-based: What science tells us about how to promote positive development and decrease risk in online spaces This guide from the National Scientific Council on Adolescence offers insights from research on how to make online spaces healthier and safer for kids, especially those in early adolescence.