Is your Teenager listening to you? Neurological psychologists explored the transition from responding more to their mother's voice as young children to more non-familial voices in the teen brain. Their research sheds light on the neurodevelopmental changes in the brain reward area that occur during critical periods of youth development. The scientists measured how the brain's reward circuitry responds to familiar (mother’s) and non-familial (female) voices. Using advanced imaging techniques (fMRI), the researchers examined brain activity in adolescents when exposed to both types of voices in over 40 youths whose ages ranged from 7-16 years old. Results? The brain images revealed a significant shift in reward circuitry response during adolescence. While younger children tended to show stronger responses to their mother's voice, teenagers exhibited increased brain activity when hearing non-familial voices. This shift suggests the adolescent’s increased brain’s sensitivity to nonfamilial social and emotional stimuli during this critical developmental stage. Brain imaging has the potential to reveal and study those children with social and communication difficulties. Parents! Your voice and interactions provide social cues as your child develops. Guide them to interact kindly and socially with others. Reference: Abrams, D. A., Mistry, P. K., Baker, A. E., Padmanabhan, A., & Menon, V. (2022). A Neurodevelopmental Shift in Reward Circuitry from Mother's to Nonfamilial Voices in Adolescence. Journal of Neuroscience, 42(20), 4164-4173. DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2018-21.2022.

Written by Jarret Bain B.S.