Which of the following statements about the adolescent brain during puberty is TRUE?

• A. The limbic system, which regulates emotions, becomes less active during puberty.
• B. Adolescents have fully developed executive functioning skills by the start of puberty.
• C. Brain plasticity significantly decreases during adolescence compared to childhood.
• D. The prefrontal cortex, responsible for decision-making and impulse control, is still maturing during adolescence.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the key brain regions involved during adolescence, focusing on the limbic system and the prefrontal cortex. The limbic system is associated with emotions, while the prefrontal cortex is responsible for executive functions like decision-making and impulse control.
2. Step 2: Recognize that during puberty, the limbic system becomes more active, which can lead to heightened emotional responses, rather than less active as one of the statements suggests.
3. Step 3: Note that executive functioning skills, governed by the prefrontal cortex, are not fully developed at the start of puberty; this area continues to mature well into early adulthood.
4. Step 4: Understand brain plasticity, which refers to the brain's ability to change and adapt. While plasticity decreases from childhood to adolescence, it remains significant during adolescence, allowing for continued learning and development.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the true statement is the one indicating the prefrontal cortex is still maturing during adolescence, which explains ongoing development in decision-making and impulse control during this period.