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Review
. 2022 Apr:44:286-292.
doi: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2021.10.005. Epub 2021 Oct 23.

Stress and adolescence: vulnerability and opportunity during a sensitive window of development

Lucinda M Sisk  1 , Dylan G Gee  2
Affiliations
Review

Stress and adolescence: vulnerability and opportunity during a sensitive window of development

Lucinda M Sisk et al. Curr Opin Psychol. 2022 Apr.

Abstract

Adolescence is a period of dynamic change across multiple systems. Concurrent maturation of neural, biological, and psychosocial functioning renders adolescence a time of heightened sensitivity to both negative and positive experiences. Here, we review recent literature across these domains, discuss risk and opportunity in the context of ongoing neural development, and highlight promising directions for future research. Finally, we propose that conceptualizing adolescence as a sensitive window during which plasticity across multiple systems is enhanced may support the identification of links between experience, neurodevelopment, and psychopathology.

Keywords: Adolescence; Adversity; Caregiving; Development; Neurodevelopment; Plasticity; Psychopathology; Stress; Stress reactivity.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this article.

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