Dopamine and the Adolescent Brain: Do Errors in Prediction Make the Difference?

Adolescence is associated with major social and cognitive changes, and it is known to be associated with an increased propensity for risky and impulsive behaviors compared with other developmental stages. These observations have led to a vigorous research agenda addressing the question of how increased risk factors for maladaptive decision making are due to specific differences in the adolescent reward system—for example, a hypersensitivity of the dopaminergic system (1).