Why teenagers are moody - research

Teenagers base many of their actions on immediate gratification, thinking more about the here and now than the future. Photo / Thinkstock

Impetuous and moody, teenagers will often storm off in a sulk if they can't have it all their own way.

Now science has found an explanation for the impulsiveness that causes so much friction with parents - the adolescent brain hasn't yet developed patience.

Researchers found that teenagers base many of their actions on immediate gratification, thinking more about the here and now than the future.

They do not learn how to control their impulses until nerve connections increase in the part of the brain that deals with decision making, German researchers discovered.

In a study, 50 people aged between eight and 25 were asked if they would rather have smaller payments now or larger payments later.

Experts found that a preference for early payments peaked in early adolescence, with the older subjects more focused on the future.

Scans of adolescent brains also revealed the importance of developing nerve connections in an area of the organ involved in making decisions.

Researchers from the Max Planck Institute in Berlin say the findings are important in understanding impulsiveness in youngsters because it can lead to taking risks with drugs and alcohol.

However the team, writing in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, said further research is needed to investigate the role of peer pressure.

- Daily Mail