Researchers at Kyushu University have discovered that adolescent brain development involves more than just the traditional process of synaptic pruning.
Using super-resolution microscopy, the team identified previously unknown high-density clusters of synapses, or hotspots, that form specifically during adolescence in the cerebral cortex. This discovery suggests that while the brain is indeed trimming excess connections, it is simultaneously building new, dense neural structures.
* Challenges the singular focus on synaptic pruning during adolescence.
* Identifies specific high-density dendritic spine hotspots in Layer 5 neurons.
* Suggests that impaired formation of these hotspots, rather than just excessive pruning, may contribute to schizophrenia.
* Provides a new perspective on how cortical circuits mature during developmental windows.
Using super-resolution microscopy, the team identified previously unknown high-density clusters of synapses, or hotspots, that form specifically during adolescence in the cerebral cortex. This discovery suggests that while the brain is indeed trimming excess connections, it is simultaneously building new, dense neural structures.
* Challenges the singular focus on synaptic pruning during adolescence.
* Identifies specific high-density dendritic spine hotspots in Layer 5 neurons.
* Suggests that impaired formation of these hotspots, rather than just excessive pruning, may contribute to schizophrenia.
* Provides a new perspective on how cortical circuits mature during developmental windows.
A new study published in *Thinking & Reasoning* reveals that the ability to use logical intuition—the "smart intuitor" profile where high intelligence leads to accurate gut instincts—is a developmental milestone that matures throughout adolescence. By testing middle and high school students with probability puzzles, researchers found that while older teenagers can use deliberate thought to correct stereotypical biases, younger students lack the underlying mental strategies to override these instincts even with extra time. This suggests that true seamless logic is not immediate but rather an optimized skill built through years of academic practice and cognitive development.
