What sex ed doesn’t tell you about your brain - Shannon Odell
- 956,571 Views
- 3,187 Questions Answered
- TEDEd Animation
Let’s Begin…
While we often talk about puberty’s effect on the body, what gets overlooked are the fascinating changes that happen in the brain. Puberty, in fact, begins in the brain, and lasts as long as five years. And during this extended process, the brain undergoes its own transformation, thanks to estrogen and testosterone. Shannon Odell details what we know— and still don’t know— about puberty.
Create and share a new lesson based on this one.
Additional Resources for you to Explore
Adolescence can be a strange and often tumultuous part of life, transforming us intellectually, physically, hormonally, and socially. If you’re still curious about some of the science behind the adolescent brain and its connection to puberty, head to this article. Khan Academy has a clear and succinct explainer video about brain changes during adolescence. Want to dig even deeper into the technicalities? Check out Maturation of the Adolescent Brain, published by the National Library of Medicine.
Hormones are important messages both within the brain and between the brain and the body. For a deep dive into all the different types of hormones and their functions, check out this link or this TED-Ed video about how your hormones work.
Surprisingly, the teenage brain actually has an evolutionary advantage compared to that of the adult brain. Check it out and let us know what you think.
Hormones are important messages both within the brain and between the brain and the body. For a deep dive into all the different types of hormones and their functions, check out this link or this TED-Ed video about how your hormones work.
Surprisingly, the teenage brain actually has an evolutionary advantage compared to that of the adult brain. Check it out and let us know what you think.

TED-Ed
Lesson Creator
New York, NY
Create and share a new lesson based on this one.
More from Getting Under Our Skin
9,065,952 Views
153,860 Views
2,532,605 Views
282,431 Views