Teens brains do not work properly

Researchers have found that during adolescence, the process which creates new brain cells is interrupted , with dramatic consequences . Apart from behaviour problem, it could even cause mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, when the person becomes an adult, the Daily Mail reported.

Experiments on mice revealed that they became "profoundly antisocial" if the smooth development of brain cells was halted.

The researchers focused on `neurogenesis`, a process in which cells are created in specific areas of the brain after birth. It occurs at a much faster rate during childhood and adolescence.

Prof Arie Kaffman wrote the study has important implications in understanding social development at the molecular level.

"Adult mice tend to spend a lot of time exploring and interacting with unfamiliar mice. However, adult mice that had neurogenesis blocked during adolescence showed no interest in exploring and even evaded attempts made by other mice to engage in social beviour. "These mice acted like they did not recognize other mice," he said.