Adolescence is widely thought to be a time when the brain trims away excess neural connections, refining circuits through synaptic pruning. New research now suggests this view may be incomplete.

For decades, my colleagues and I advanced the premise that early substance use—nicotine, alcohol, or cannabis (or other addicting drugs)—interferes with critical maturation stages, particularly ...

For decades, my colleagues and I advanced the premise that early substance use—nicotine, alcohol, or cannabis (or other addicting drugs)—interferes with critical maturation stages, particularly ...

A study of more than 11,000 teens finds cannabis use tied to slower gains in memory, focus and thinking speed as well as ...

Scientists have discovered that the adolescent brain does more than prune old connections. During the teen years, it actively builds dense new clusters of synapses in specific parts of neurons. These ...

Before age 5, a baby's brain grows rapidly, undergoing a uniquely important moment in development. Yet, many don't understand just how critical it is for setting a person's foundation for thriving.

Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai report that early-life exposure to common environmental metals may ...

In a bid to better understand, and potentially treat, a host of conditions that affect early cognition, neurodevelopment, and the brain later in life, investigators at Johns Hopkins Medicine and ...

The brains of humans and other mammals contain a vast array of neuronal and non-neuronal cell types. The human capacity to process information into complex emotions, behaviours and decisions relies on ...