Yuong drivers

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1 Dagfinn Moe SINTEF 2008 Brain maturation and risk behavior among young drivers

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3 As the adolescent brain is reconfigured it is more susceptible to long lasting damage of drugs, alcohol, and negative experiences. Unfortunately, the brain is most vulnerable at a time when they are most inclined to take risks and to act impulsively…” (Jay Giedd, NIH 2004)

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5 fMRI’s scans make an anatomical and functional view of the brain NIMH started using fMRI’s to research the adolescent brain in 1991 fMRI’s use Radio Waves to detect changes in blood flow in the brain

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Triune Brain : 

7 Triune Brain Logical Brain (Neocortex) Emotional Brain (Limbic System) Survival Brain (Brain Stem)

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8 Hearing Visual Time-space-associations movement activation Attention Planning Emotional control Consequences Desicion making Cerebellum

Brain Maturation from Ages 5 to 20 : 

9 Copyright ©2004 by the National Academy of Sciences Brain Maturation from Ages 5 to 20

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11 Adolescent brain development can be divided into three processes: •Proliferation (rapid growth of brain matter and the formation of new connections within the brain) •Pruning (cutting away of unused or unimportant connections) •Myelination (insulating of brain pathways to make them faster and more stable) Significant brain growth and development occurs during adolescence, and extends to the age of 30!

SINGEL ACCIDENT One person killed and three seriously injured : 

12 SINGEL ACCIDENT One person killed and three seriously injured Speed limit 50 km/h – vehicle speed ca 130-135 km/h

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13 Two 18 year old girls on their way to school ca 0815 in a Golf 1990 model

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14 THE LIMBIC SYSTEM ”heaven and hell”

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Dopamin : 

16 liking-wanting–craving reward and pleasure Dopamin movements

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19 Conclusions about Frontal Lobe Immaturity 1. Poor judgment and difficulty thinking through consequences of behavior 2. Impulsive and emotional responses rather than logical and practical ones 3. Miscommunication with peers and adults—they miss subtle social cues, misinterpret expectations, and misread facial expressions. 4. Increased risk-taking; inappropriate actions not as inhibited as in adults Adolescence is generally a period of increased impulsivity and risk-taking behaviour, but some teens might be especially prone to engage in such behaviours. Galvan et al. (2007)

Brain Development: Prefrontal Cortex : 

20 Brain Development: Prefrontal Cortex If the prefrontal area does not develop appropriately: Hard time understanding social situations and social cues “Why I always got to wait!!” Sees many situations and people as out to get them or hostile He dissed me!!! Gets mad easily “He meant to step on my shoe, so I punched him!” Is impulsive and inattentive Plays video games all day, but can’t focus in class Seems insensitive to consequences “Like I care!!” Heightened sensitivity to reward in spite of consequences Drug abuse

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21 Deborah Yurgelun Todd McLean Hospital Belmont, Mass (2004)

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22 Playing videogames 30 minutes – then fMRI. Car racing (action) and war game (violent)

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23 ”War game (violent game) increased activity in amygdala

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25 Prevention strategies may focus on human emotional, social and moral development

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26 Risk perception – ”learning by doing” Considerable decrease in accident rate among young drivers

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