The Teenage Brain Today

​Join Giorgia Picci, Ph.D. for the 2025 Nebraska Science Festival Science Café.

The teenage brain is built for change. Decades of research have shown that adolescence is one of the most dynamic periods of brain development. This rapid transformation is driven by a mix of biological and social factors, including pubertal hormones, shifting social dynamics, and the push toward independence. This interplay creates a developmental paradox—a window of both great opportunity and heightened vulnerability. In today's world, added complexities like social media are reshaping the landscape of adolescence. Dr. Giorgia Picci will unpack these topics and discuss how they may help explain the rising rates of mental health challenges in teens.

This event is free and open to the public (ages 21 and older). No tickets are required.
 
About Giorgia Picci, Ph.D.
Dr. Picci is the Susan & George Haddix Endowed Chair in Developmental Neuroscience in the Institute for Human Neuroscience at Boys Town National Research Hospital. Her research lab focuses on how early life experiences (e.g., stress) and different layers of biology shape teen brain development and mental health trajectories. Her team uses human neuroimaging (functional and structural MRI and magnetoencephalography), hormonal measures, and in-depth psychological assessments to answer their research questions. The aim is to integrate these measures to understand how the interplay between childhood environments and pubertal development impacts adolescents' neural structure and function as well as adaptation to life.