THE POWER OF THE ADOLESCENT BRAIN:
TECHNICAL TERMS
with Frances Jensen, MD, FACP
Definitions
Bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder is characterized by uncommon shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, and the
ability to carry out day-to-day tasks.i
Cortical development
The development of the cerebral [Link] The cerebral
cortex is a vital layer of tissue that coats the surface of the
brain. Most of the actual information processing in the
brain takes place in the cerebral [Link]
Depression
Major depressive disorder or clinical depression is a mood disorder with severe symptoms that
affect how a person feels, thinks, and goes about daily activities. The symptoms of depression must
be present for at least two weeks to [Link]
Dopamine
A neurotransmitter (or brain chemical that communicates information throughout our brain and
body) present in regions of the brain that regulate movement, emotion, motivation, and feelings of
pleasure. At normal levels, this system rewards our natural behaviors. Overstimulating the system
with drugs produces euphoric effects that strongly reinforce drug use and teach the user to repeat
it.v
Frontal Lobe
One of the four divisions of each cerebral hemisphere. The frontal lobe is important for controlling
movement, thinking, and [Link]
Melatonin
A hormone produced by our bodies that stimulates [Link]
Myelin
A protein that wraps the nerve cells and increases the
speed that impulses are transmitted from cell to [Link]
Nerve impulses
An electrical signal that is carried along a nerve [Link]
Neurons
A unique type of cell found in the brain and body that is designed to process and transmit
information.x
THE POWER OF THE ADOLESCENT BRAIN
Prefrontal cortex
An area of the brain that help us control
impulses, makes decisions, consider the
consequences of our behavior, and plan
ahead. This is the last area of the brain to
[Link]
Schizophreniaxii
A chronic and severe disorder that affects how a person thinks, feels, and acts.
Stimuli
A thing or event that creates a specific functional reaction in an organ or [Link]
Synapses
The space between neurons where neurotransmitters (the brain chemical that communicates
information throughout our brain and body) are released to create nerve [Link]
Tracts
Bundles of nerve [Link]
i National Institute of Mental Health. Bipolar Disorder. Available at [Link]
disorder/[Link]
ii Leventer, R. J., Guerrini, R., & Dobyns, W. B. (2008). Malformations of cortical development and
epilepsy. Dialogues in clinical neuroscience, 10(1), 47.
iii National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Brain Basics: Know your Brain. Available at
[Link]
iv NIMH Depression. Available at [Link]
v National Institute on Drug Abuse. Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction. Available at
[Link]
vi The BrainGlossary, Page 1. Available at
[Link]
vii Melatonin: In Depth | NCCIH. Available at [Link]
viii Lodish, H., Berk, A., Zipursky, S. L., Matsudaira, P., Baltimore, D., & Darnell, J. Molecular Cell
Biology. Available at [Link]
ix Lodish, H., Berk, A., Zipursky, S. L., Matsudaira, P., Baltimore, D., & Darnell, J. Molecular Cell
Biology. Available at [Link]
x Lodish, H., Berk, A., Zipursky, S. L., Matsudaira, P., Baltimore, D., & Darnell, J. Molecular Cell
Biology. Available at [Link]
xi Funahashi, S., & Andreau, J. M. (2013). Prefrontal cortex and neural mechanisms of executive
function. Journalof Physiology-Paris, 107(6), 471-482.
xii National Institute of Mental Health. Schizophrenia. Available at [Link]
booklet-12-2015/[Link]
xiii Stimulus - definition of stimulus in English | Oxford Dictionaries. Available at
[Link]
xiv Lodish, H., Berk, A., Zipursky, S. L., Matsudaira, P., Baltimore, D., & Darnell, J. Molecular Cell
Biology. Available at [Link]
xv Nervous system - The vertebrate system. Available at [Link]
system#ref606548
Technical Terms 2