Neuropsychological changes in adolescence that influence risky and suicidal behavior

The article is dedicated to the analysis of neuropsychological trasformations that take place during adolescence and influence the propensity of adolescents to different types of risky behavior, which is dangerous for teenage health and life. We presume that same neuropsychological transformations that provoke risky behavior also influence suicidality during adolescence. Non-linear maturation of limbic system structures and prefrontal cortex leads to teens' imperfect cognitive control over impulses and emotional drives, distracted attention, hyperactive behavior, wrong judgments and interpretations of events and emotions and consequent behavior based on this wrong information. As a result, inadequate interpretations of events and behavior of significant others may increase suicidal risk, as well as social anxiety accompanied with tendency to escapist behavior and not well-formed skills of stress-resilience. The impulsiveness and wrongful decision making may provoke a suicide attempt. Adolescent qualitative and quantitative morphometric restructuring of white and grey matter provoke behavioral problems that are caused by control and self-regulation disruption, radical shifts in cognitive interests, inability to understand oneself or explain one's actions. Such identity confusion and tunnel consciousness make an adolescent focused on the present without being able to comprehend the future, which instigates suicidal thoughts. Reward system which final formation happens during adolescence also influences adolescent risky behavior, especially different types of addiction. Anhedonia and inability to experience pleasure and satisfaction that are typical for teens aggravate anxious and depressive states, cause persistent negative emotions. These states are often followed by suicide thoughts and plans development. However, we suggest that neuropsychological changes of adolescent period only predispose risky behavior while psychological individual differences determine whether a teenager would incline to risk her life and health.