Seriously troubled children may have brain malfunctions that make it harder for them to make good decisions and avoid impulsive, destructive behaviors, according to a new joint study from the University of Colorado School of Medicine and the University of Maryland.
- The research team studied 20 teenage boys on probation who had a double diagnosis of both conduct disorder and substance abuse.
- The researchers compared them to 20 boys of similar backgrounds who had never been in trouble or used drugs.
- All 40 boys were connected to magnetic resonance imaging devices (MRIs) while they played a computer game that involved choices that could be risky or cautious.
"Brain responses to everyday rewards and punishments gradually guide most youngsters decisions to conform with society's rules," said lead author Thomas Crowley. "However, when seriously troubled kids experience rewards and punishments and make decisions, their brains apparently malfunction. Our findings strongly suggest that brain malfunction underlies their frequent failure to conform to rules, to make wise decisions, and to avoid relapses back to drug use and antisocial acts."
Posted By: Jane St. Clair