Investigaciones recientes sugieren que en la adolescencia tienen lugar importantes cambios en la estructura, bioquímica y fisiología del cerebro que podrían explicar la dificultad que experimentan los adolescentes en el control de sus emociones así como también otros rasgos de su comportamiento inestable. En este artículo presentamos algunas investigaciones que establecen, asimismo, una correlación entre las reorganizaciones cerebrales que tienen lugar en el primer año de vida con signos de irritabilidady desazón emocional que muestra el bebé durante este periodo. En ambos casos la dificultad de controlar los impulsos emocionales es susceptible de afectar la relación de los padres con el niño o joven. Discutimos la posible relevancia de esta coincidencia dentro de una perspectiva evolucionista así como la posible vulnerabilidad de estos períodos. Finalmente, apuntamos la necesidad de una teoría integradora del desarrollo humano y of recemos algunos puntos de debate.
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