09/29/2026
At 18, we call someone an adult. But the brain doesn’t follow the calendar quite so neatly.
That distinction becomes especially important when we think about alcohol, cannabis, gambling, and other experiences that engage the brain’s reward systems during adolescence and young adulthood.
In our newest article, we beyond the familiar idea that “the brain isn’t fully developed until 25” and explores a more nuanced question: What is the developing brain learning from the experiences we repeatedly give it?
It’s a conversation about brain development, reward, substance use, boundaries, and why understanding a behavior can sometimes be more useful than simply condemning it.
For parents of teenagers and young adults, and for young adults themselves, we hope this offers a thoughtful perspective on a complicated stage of development.
Read the full article:
At eighteen, the law considers you an adult. But the brain is still developing. Dr. Demian Gitnacht explores what neuroscience can teach us about adolescence, substance use, reward and the complicated line between legal adulthood and brain maturity.