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3 things I learned where Dopamine is our reward molecule, Happiness is one of the hardest emotions to study and drugs have a heavy impact on our brain chemicals. 2 personal connections I may do things just because it gives me dopamine and what makes someone happy constantly changes that's why its hard to study. What chemical can mask stress and pain?

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3 things i learned
- culture and environment will always affect a persons bias
- we are all bias whether we are conscious of our stereotype or not
- There are bias test which can help us understand our bias better

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3 things I learned
1) Bias has a lot to do with the environment around you
2) There is a thing called unconscious bias that affects you and your daily life
3) There's a thing called testing bias

2 Personal Connections
1) Growing up in a family that is predominately leaning one way in the political spectrum
2) Reasoning some of my own biases but being able to open up and listen to others

1 Question
1) Do you think your bias controls the way you live and act most of the time?

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3 things I learned
- "across the globe, 1.2 million adolescents die each year from preventable causes"
- Regions like the prefrontal cortex and the temporal cortex develop later on
- Mice also go through a stage in their life where risk-taking behavior can be seen (so it is not only found in humans)
2 personal connections
- The podcast talked about how 3/4 of mental health issues appear before the age of 24 and this is definitely true as I know of many people that suffer from mental health conditions and have to be treated for them
- The idea of habituation is essentially the idea of getting used to something and adapting and I feel like as teens we all have to do this a lot given all the different situations we do face on a daily basis
1 question
- When does the brain officially stop growing, at what specific age does this usually happen?

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3 things I learned
-There are 7 neurochemicals in our brain that all contribute to happiness
-Dopamine is known as the "reward molecule"
-Some animals have the capacity to feel happiness
2 personal connections
-I wanted to learn more about how our brain actually produces chemicals that make us happy
-I know people that suffer with addiction and I wanted to learn about the chemical connection to happiness
1 question I have
-What combinations of chemicals are needed to feel happiness?

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- Brain’s effect on risk taking
- Preventable death count
- How a severe Brain Injury can occur

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3 - This happens to people who have suffered concussions or repeated brain injuries, one side effect is you suffer memory loss, This can also have a changing effect on the brain
2 - I once had a concussion, I have read stories about people who have dealt with cte
1 - What ways can others help people that have suffered a traumatic brain injury?

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1- people with TBI are %65 more likely to develop schizophrenia
2- retired football players with multiple concussions were at a higher risk of depression and suicide
3- People with severe TBI are also more likely to develop bipolar disease
Connection- I have had multiple concussions,
Question- Will untreated brain injuries (concussions etc.) result in a higher chance for that person to develop a mental illness?

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3: Teenagers take more risks because their prefrontal cortex develops last, teenagers' brains are more sensitive to emotions and rewards, and they often struggle to fully analyze various situations
2:  I sometimes have a narrow focus when analyzing situations, and I have always wondered why teenagers take more risks
1: Should this research change how adults view teenagers and their actions?

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3 things I learned
-our brain has a region called the ventral striatum which is the reward center so when we get something we tend to do things like that again
-during our teenage years the prefrontal cortex is not fully developed
-habituation was talked abour a lot which has to do with getting used to something so the more we did something and didnt get caught it become like second nature to us
2. I can connect with this because there are times I have done things and looked back and thought that was not a smart decision
-And I also notice that a lot of teenagers are very immature because our brains arent fully developed but still looking for that risk/reward
1 question
-What age do us teenagers start making better decisions and not crave that risk behavior?

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3: prefrontal cortex fully develops last, 1.2 mil. teens die each year from preventable causes, teenage brains are more sensitive to rewards and emotions
2: as a teen i wanted to try to get a better understanding of my brain, and the fact that most mental health issues start during teenage years, i have anxiety and adhd
1: At what age does a teenage brain function more like an adult rather than a child?

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3 things I learned
- traumatic brain injuries do not necessarily need to be hard hits because the brain is so delicate
- a significant amount of those within the criminal justice system have experienced at least one traumatic brain injury
- traumatic brain injuries cause the death of neurons and axons, which release toxins that kill other neurons
2 personal connections
- I have had a concussion before and experienced the symptoms mentioned with TBI's (nausea, headaches, lack of focus, anxiety, etc)
- One of the articles mentioned something as simple as heading a soccer ball can lead to damages in the brain as each hit essentially build up in the brain -> I play soccer and head the ball constantly
1 question
- How common do you think TBI's are?

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3 things I learned-
About 1.7 million people die per year from a TBI
A TBI makes up 1/3 of all deaths in the US
Majority of people in the criminal justice system have a TBI

Personal connection- I have never experienced a concussion before.

One question I have is why do traumatic brain injuries go unnoticed for so many people?

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3.
-Exploratory period where teens can learn to prepare themselves for real world confrontations.
- Brain development last way longer than just in teen years
-Preventable deaths
2.
-Understandable why more risks are taken during this age
-
1.
-How is a teen brain different than younger adults

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1. 1.2 million adolscents die per year from preventable causes.
2.The area of the brain that tells a person not to do something is the prefrontal cortex and when your a teenager that area is usually still developing that is why teens tend to do more risky behavior.
3. Dopamine levels are in general peak during the teenage years.

personal connections:
1. I understand and I connect when the article says teenagers are very responsive when earning rewards and I feel that I always am thinking about the reward I will get if I do something.
2. I also connect that teenagers and myself are constantly trying to make themselves happy which tends to rise the dopamine levels.

question:
What lead you to choose the topic that you choose?

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3 things I learned
- the brain develops from back to front, the prefrontal cortex being the last thing to develop
- ventral striatum is responsible for the risk reward processes in the brain and is especially active in adolescent brains
- Brain doesn't fully develop until your mid twenties
2 connections
- I feel like when you hear about accidents that were reckless on the news people always tend to assume it is a young person because of their supposed impulsiveness
- Even though risk taking can be bad I also think it can be an asset. Young people are usually more open to change and new ideas because our brains are not fully done developing yet, and I even see this in my peers compared to the adults that I interact with.
one question
- How can the brain influence the actions of those that are not adolescents?

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3 things I learned:
-the brain reaches its biggest size in early adolescence
-the teen brain is ready to learn and adapt
-the brain continues to learn and mature even when it's done growing

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3:
*I learned that our brain is not fully developed until mid twenties (the prefrontal cortex is the last)
*I learned that there is a tug-and-war game when teenagers make decisions
*I leaned that Dopamine is present when making irrational decisions because sometimes we think the reward is more appealing than the activity to get to that reward
2:
*Myself and other teens tend to try to be more independent during this time in our lives
*3/4 of mental health problems occur during teenage years (I have anxiety)
1:
*How is a teenage brain so much more different than a child's brain?

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3. Most of the people in the Criminal justice system have had a brain injury of some kind, it can be a hidden condition, and less than 5% of the general public have a TBI.
2. a brain injury doesn't just have to happen from sports even though it is very common to occur this way, you can have a brain injury and not know.
1. Do you think there's a lot of people who have had a TBI and just never knew?

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3.
- Through meditation, happiness can be practiced

- As we get older, our brains become more benevolent
- Its hard for scientists to define happiness as opposed to other emotions/feelings
2.
- I have tried meditation in that past a couple of times but after learning this new information I may try to meditate somewhat consistently
- This topic appealed more to me than the others because I wanted to learn more about happiness's connection with the brain and anything else about the feeling of happiness.
1.
- Would you try to meditate a couple times a week if it means experiencing happiness for longer periods of time?

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-Learned about when endorphins were discovered and connected to happiness
-Dopamine system
-Addiction
-Was just interested in how the brain works when a person feels happen and what the body does to produce dopamine and endorphins
-I want to know more about how the brain works when a person is upset?angry vs when a person is happy

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1. Having minor injuries to the brain can lead to major long lasting effects
2. 50 to 80 percent of people in criminal justice have a traumatic brain injury.
3. Do people who play sports deal with brain injuries/problems on a day to day basis?

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3
- I learned that 50-80% of people in the criminal justice system (inmates) have a TBI
- individuals with a TBI are 4x more likely to develop a mental illness
- signs of CTE were found in 76 of 79 retired NFL players who lost their life to suicide
2
- I read the book Concussion by Jeanne Marie Laskas which is about Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy
- I have had a few concussions throughout years of sports
1
- How do you think the NFL and other professional sports (or non professional) can adapt equipment in practices and games to better protect the brain from hard hits or subconcussive hits?

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3
- serotonin is known as the 'confidence chemical'
- eye contact with another person gives them value and releases Oxycontin
- happiness can be a choice
2
- during covid there was a long stretch of time where happiness was forced in order to make others happy
- my happiness comes from other people's attitudes
1
- can being happy prevent or lessen common sickness?