What sex ed doesn’t tell you about your brain - Shannon Odell

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Helen Chang

While we often talk about puberty’s effect on the body,

雖然我們常常談到青春期 會影響我們的身體，

what gets overlooked are the fascinating changes that happen in the brain.

卻往往忽視了大腦中 也發生了很炫的改變。

I’ve been sent here to talk to you about puberty.

我被派來和各位談青春期。

Any questions?

有任何問題嗎？

During puberty, your reproductive organs grow and mature.

在青春期，你的生殖器官 會成長並成熟。

Any questions?

有任何問題嗎？

This ripening allows you to become a sexually mature adult.

這個成熟過程

讓你能在性方面長大成人。

There are so many other changes to your body

你們身體會有很多其他改變，

that puberty can seem almost magical.

讓青春期幾乎可說是魔法般的神奇。

I think I'll take it from here.

我想我來接手吧。

Puberty, in fact, begins in the brain.

事實上，青春期始於大腦。

At some point, usually between the ages of 9 and 14,

通常發生在九歲到十四歲 之間的某個時點，

puberty is triggered when a region known as the hypothalamus

觸發青春期的，是我們 所知的下視丘這個區域

releases waves of a specialized hormone.

釋放一波一波的專化荷爾蒙。

As convenient as it would be to go to sleep a child and wake up an adult,

如果孩子上床睡覺隔天起來 就變成成人了，那會很方便。

this maturation is slow,

但這個成熟過程很緩慢。

and puberty lasts as long as 4 to 5 years.

且青春期會持續四到五年這麼久。

And during this extended process,

在這段持續很久的過程中，

the brain undergoes its own transformation,

大腦自己本身會發生轉變，

thanks to two of puberty’s key players— estrogen and testosterone.

原因是青春期的兩個關鍵元素——

雌激素和睪丸素。

Produced in the developing testes and ovaries,

發展中的睪丸和卵巢會產生

these hormones hitch a ride to the brain via the bloodstream.

這些荷爾蒙，它們會搭 血流的便車前往大腦。

Once there, they interact with receptors on neurons,

到了大腦，它們會和神經元 上面的受器產生交互作用，

changing the way the individual cells work and function

用這些方式改變個別細胞 工作和運作的方式：

by making them more or less excitable, altering their growth,

讓它們的興奮性提高或降低，

改變它們的成長， 或重新塑造它們的連結。

or reshaping their connections.

Cumulatively, this can change how you feel, think, and behave.

經過累積，這可能會改變 你的感受、想法，和行為。

For example, hormones remodel and develop the limbic system,

比如，荷爾蒙會重塑 和發展大腦邊緣系統，

a collection of brain regions responsible for emotional behavior.

這個系統包含數個大腦區域， 負責情緒性的行為。

Research in animal models suggests that the amygdala undergoes changes

動物模型的研究指出，

在青春期，杏仁核的大小 和連接會有所改變。

in size and connectivity during puberty.

The amygdala’s function is wide-ranging,

杏仁核的功能範圍很廣，

from detecting threats in your environment,

從偵測你環境中的威脅，

to helping you recognize emotions in your friend’s faces.

到協助你辨識朋友臉上呈現的情緒。

Its development allows you to better connect with your peers,

杏仁核的發展讓你能 與同儕連結得更好，

while priming your brain for learning and discovery.

同時幫你的大腦為學習 和發現做好準備。

Likewise, puberty organizes and restructures the nucleus accumbens

同樣的，青春期也會組織和重建

與獎勵及感覺追求相關的伏隔核。

involved in reward and sensation-seeking.

Activity in this dopamine hub is thought to drive

一般認為，這個多巴胺 中心的活動會促成

the pleasurable sensations we feel when doing rewarding activities,

當我們從事有報酬的活動時 會感覺到的愉悅感受，

like spending time with friends or having new experiences.

比如和朋友相處或有新的經歷。

Several studies have found

數項研究發現，在青春期 荷爾蒙濃度增加時，

that as hormone levels increase through puberty,

so does the response of the nucleus accumbens.

伏隔核的反應也會增加。

As a result, exploration and social engagement may feel

因此，在青少年時期，就可能會

that much more important during adolescence.

更重視探索和社交互動。

As these emotion and reward centers rapidly develop,

隨著這些情緒及獎勵中心快速發展，

their connections with higher cortical brain regions tend to do so

它們與大腦更高階皮質區域的連結

通常會長期持續發展。

on an extended timeline.

These cortical regions, which help impose emotional regulation and impulse control,

這些皮質區域有助於 調節和控制情緒，

continue to grow well past puberty, into your 20s.

超過青春期之後它們還會 繼續成長，到你二十多歲。

While teens are often unfairly stereotyped as rash or impulsive,

雖然把青少年套上草率 或衝動的刻板印象不甚公平，

research reveals a more complex story.

研究卻發現了更複雜的緣由。

Teens are just as capable as adults of making thoughtful decisions

青少年和成人一樣能夠 做出深思熟慮的決策，

when given the time and space.

只要能給他們時間和空間。

It’s only during high stress or in the heat of the moment

只有在高壓力的情況下 或在盛怒中時，

that teens may find it more difficult to manage emotions.

青少年才會很難管理好情緒。

Further, this lengthy cortical development allows adolescent brains

另外，這段長期的皮質發展 讓青少年大腦

to remain adaptable as they learn and grow in new situations,

能在新情境中學習和成長時 保有適應力，

form their identities, and build the skill sets needed for adulthood.

建立起他們的身分認同 及成年後需要用的各項技能。

For all we know about the effects of puberty on the brain,

以我們對青春期 會如何影響大腦的所知，

there remain many unanswered questions.

還有很多未能解答的問題。

What sets off the initial puberty signal in the brain?

是什麼觸發大腦中 最初始的青春期訊號？

Why is the average onset of puberty shifting earlier?

為什麼青春期開始的 平均年齡變得越來越早？

And, while hormones may seem powerful, they may not be the full story.

雖然荷爾蒙似乎扮演要角， 但可能還有其他因素。

Experiences you have during adolescence may be just as influential

你在青少年時期的經歷 可能和荷爾蒙一樣

as hormones in shaping and maturing the developing brain.

能夠影響發展中大腦的形塑與成熟。

So while all these physical and mental changes can make you feel

所以，雖然所有這些 身體和心理的改變

會讓你覺得青春期好像已受掌控，

as if puberty is in control,

you have more power than you think.

但你的力量超出你的想像。

The everyday choices you make,

你日常的選擇，

from learning new skills, to being a good friend, to setting boundaries,

從學習新技能，到扮演好朋友，

到設下界線，

ultimately steer the path of who you are and will become.

最終，掌控著你是誰 及你會變成什麼人的方向。

Any questions?

有任何問題嗎？