RATIONALE:

 Along with the onset of puberty, a hallmark of adolescence, comes a great number of physical changes in the brain. Brain development in adolescence is characterised by increased brain plasticity, changes in connections between brain regions, and the maturation of the frontal lobes. The frontal lobes are responsible for controlling complex behaviours known as executive functions (EF), which are the mental abilities that allow us to effectively control attention, working memory, inhibitory control, and emotional regulation. Simply put, the extent to which executive function develops in early childhood and adolescence sets up an individual's life-long capacity for building and maintaining healthy relationships, and success in academia and life. Thus, executive functions are integral for psychological and social development and are used to predict outcomes in health, wealth, criminality, as well as academic and career performance later in life.

 The success of the Building Brains Together program in children has prompted us to explore if adolescents, who are undergoing a similar period of significant brain changes, would benefit from age-appropriate playful activities aimed at enhancing their EF development.

 Because adolescence is a time of significant brain plasticity, both positive and negative experiences can alter the way the brain develops. Experiences such as trauma, abuse, or prolonged stress can have negative impacts which can lead to poor health outcomes, poor academic or career performance, and poor relationships. However, this heightened plasticity also allows for positive experiences, such as supportive relationships or play, to improve brain development and offset negative experiences. Executive function training in the form of play, exercise, or cognitive tasks can enhance brain development in adolescents regardless of whether or not they’ve faced significant adversities. Play, through both physical or non-physical activities, promotes brain plasticity and allows adolescents to practice and improve their executive function skills. Improved executive function skills will allow adolescents to better manoeuvre relationships and life’s many challenges, as well as to improve their cognitive abilities. 

 All human thinking and behaviour are rooted in brain structure and function. If we can improve the development of executive function in adolescents by improving brain plasticity and resilience through play, we will promote optimal outcomes for individuals later in life, which will ultimately benefit the future of our entire community.

 PURPOSE:

The adolescent BBT study will involve pre and post program testing of cognitive skills (EF and language skills) and motor abilities in the adolescent participants.  In the school delivery model, teachers and students will be encouraged to provide feedback so we can revise and improve games, delivery, and testing as we proceed.  The findings from the study and their implications for classroom programming will be shared with the educators and school administrators.  In the family delivery model, we will similarly ask for feedback from caregivers and adolescent participants. We ultimately hope to provide educators and caregivers with evidence-based resources that will enhance EF in adolescents in order to promote healthy brain development and improve health, academic, and career outcomes. Educated, empowered adults can support healthy brain development and build resilience in adolescents.

NEXT STEPS:

Building Brains Adolescent Curriculum is currently being tested at Middle Schools and Junior Highs in Lethbridge, Alberta. The full curriculum will be released to the public in 2023. For questions and comments please contact: buildingbrainstogether@gmail.com

Sources:

Balvin, Nikola; Banati, Prerna (2017). The adolescent brain: A second window of opportunity - A compendium, Miscellanea

Blair, C. (2016). Developmental science and executive function. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 25(1), 3–7. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963721415622634 

Cherry, K. (2022, February 18). How brain neurons change over time from life experience. Verywell Mind. Retrieved May 12, 2022, from https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-brain-plasticity-2794886 

Kress, V. E., Paylo, M. J., & Stargell, N. (2018). Counselling children and adolescents. Pearson Education (US). https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9780134745244

Nejati, V., Salehinejad, M. A., & Nitsche, M. A. (2018). Interaction of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (L-DLPFC) and right orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) in hot and cold executive functions: Evidence from transcranial direct current stimulation (tdcs). Neuroscience, 369, 109–123. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2017.10.042

Zysset, A. E., Kakebeeke, T. H., Messerli-Bürgy, N., Meyer, A. H., Stülb, K., Leeger-Aschmann, C. S., Schmutz, E. A., Arhab, A., Puder, J. J., Kriemler, S., Munsch, S., & Jenni, O. G. (2018). Predictors of executive functions in preschoolers: Findings from the splashy study. Frontiers in Psychology, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02060 

ADOLESCENT EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING PLAY CURRICULUM

 Adolescence is a remarkable period of brain development and is often referred to as “a second window of opportunity”. Although the brain is most malleable during early childhood, brain plasticity, which refers to the brain’s ability to change neural networks in response to experiences, continues throughout life. In fact, adolescence is the second most significant period of brain plasticity in human development!