The delayed maturation of the prefrontal cortex compared with the limbic system isn’t all bad. Many evolutionary biologists and sociologists believe that having a brain ruled by the limbic system confers great benefits. Tweens and teens are willing and able to take risks that many adults cannot. I am not talking about foolish risks that create obvious danger, but rather the openness to try something new, to explore, to invent, to discover. Put this in the context of a brain that is growing and pruning, and it is easy to see how the young brain craves new information and can learn more, faster.
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