Sensation Seeking

The nucleus accumbens, a part of the brain’s reward system located in the limbic system, is the area that processes information related to motivation and reward. Brain imaging studies conducted by National Institute on Drug Abuse have shown that the nucleus accumbens is highly sensitized in adolescents, sending out strong impulses to act when faced with the opportunity to obtain something desirable.¹

During puberty, the increases in estrogen and testosterone bind receptors in the limbic system, which not only stimulates their sex drive, but also increases teens’ emotional volatility and impulsivity. Addiction researchers have also discovered changes in the brain’s reward sensitivity that occur during puberty. These are related to a decrease of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that produces feelings of pleasure (among other functions)². Due to these changes, teens may require higher levels of stimulation to achieve the same levels of pleasure/reward, leading them to seek out new experiences, and driving them to make riskier decisions. According to the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP), “Adolescents are more vulnerable than any other age group to developing nicotine, alcohol, and other drug additions because of the regions of the brain that govern impulse and motivation are not yet fully formed.”³

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