Does Adolescent Risk Taking Imply Weak Executive Function? A Prospective Study of Relations between Working Memory Performance, Impulsivity, and Risk Taking in Early Adolescence

摘要: Studies of brain development suggest that the increase in risk taking observed during adolescence may be due to insufficient prefrontal executive function compared a more rapidly developing subcortical motivation system. We examined as assessed by working memory ability community sample youth (n = 387, ages 10 12 at baseline) three annual assessments determine its relation two forms impulsivity (sensation seeking and acting without thinking) wide range externalizing behavior. Using structural equation modeling, we tested model which differential activation dorsal ventral striatum produces imbalance these regions. For high sensation seeking, both regions were predicted develop with age. However, for tendency act thinking, was expected dominate. The would exhibit (1) early weakness thinking but (2) growing strength those seeking. In addition, it (3) strongly related behavior than Finally, (4) controlling predict later increases risky All four predictions confirmed. results indicate rise occurs is not accompanied deficit therefore requires different intervention strategies from whose characterized signs thinking.