The Neuroscience Of Mindfulness

The Amygdala And The Prefrontal Cortex

As I continue learning about neuroscience and mindfulness I am learning about the relationship between the amygdala, the default mode network, and the prefrontal cortex.

The amygdala is very tiny and very complex. It is fully formed in the uterus. The prefrontal cortex is quite large. It has limited storage capacity and it is not fully formed until after adolescence.

During adolescence, while the prefrontal cortex is developing, grey matter is being pruned away and the default mode network is learning the rules that will govern future behaviour.

This is a relatively recent theory and is not yet universally accepted. There is however mounting evidence that it is happening. If this is true, our educational system is squandering resources during this critical stage. Middle school teachers are floundering about not recognising the valuable opportunity that receptive adolescent brains present.

They will tell you that adolescent brains are not receptive. They are right. Adolescent brains are definitely not receptive to anybody telling them what to think but they are receptive to somebody who would teach them how to think. That is how to manage the conflicting demands of the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex which is where I am going next.

Jim McAulay🍁 An oxymoron walked into a bar. The silence was deafening.

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