Final answer:
Young people's brains are primarily dominated by the development of the frontal lobes, which are responsible for executive functions and mature during adolescence. Increases in brain complexity during this time include synaptic pruning and myelination, enhancing brain efficiency and the development of the prefrontal cortex, leading to advanced cognitive abilities.
Step-by-step explanation:
Developmentally, young people's brains are considered to be under construction, particularly dominated by the ongoing development of their frontal lobes. The frontal lobes of the brain are responsible for a wide range of executive functions, including judgment, impulse control, planning, decision making, information processing, and abstract reasoning. These critical areas of the brain continue to mature into early adulthood, with significant growth occurring during adolescence.
During this developmental period, increased risk-taking behaviors and emotional outbursts may be observed in adolescents. Such behaviors can be attributed to the fact that while the brain does not increase significantly in size during adolescence, it does become more complex. Synaptic pruning and the increase in myelination enhance the efficiency and functionality of the brain. The process of synaptic pruning involves the elimination of unused neural pathways, while myelination refers to the development of myelin sheaths around nerve fibers, which speeds up the transmission of nerve impulses.
The prefrontal cortex (PFC), part of the cerebral cortex covering the front part of the frontal lobe, is particularly important during adolescence. It develops the capacity for high-level cognitive functions. These changes are crucial for young adults to develop the capability for more sophisticated cognitive tasks.