Structure and Function of the Adolescent Brain: Findings from Neuroimaging Studies

Researchers use several different methods to process the images, and they sometimes report different findings. These methodologies range from manual tracing to automated strategies to measure volumes of different brain structures. Future refinement of these strategies may alter some of the conclusions presented in this chapter. Current studies are also limited by small sample sizes, homogeneity of the populations being studied (limited racial diversity), and cross-sectional rather than longitudinal sampling. Large longitudinal studies of children from diverse backgrounds may improve our understanding of the adolescent brain. Nevertheless, many of the current neuroimaging studies support findings previously reported in postmortem, neuroanatomical research.