dorsal frontal and parietal lobes correlate with improved performance on a test of general verbal intellectual functioning between the ages of 5-11 (Sowell et al., 2004). Other studies following individuals from age 6 through 19 found that individuals with superior intelligence show the greatest changes in frontal cortical thickness compared to individuals with high or average intelligence (Shaw et al., 2006). Environmental experiences and training are known to induce changes in cerebral cortex including neurochemical, altered cortical thickness, size of synaptic contacts and dendritic structure as well as improving performance on learning tests (Rosenzweig and Bennett, 1996). Learning in humans during studying for exams (Draganski et al., 2006) or practicing juggling (Draganski et al., 2004) alters cortical structure consistent with use contributing to structural changes in brain. Thus, brain structural changes are pronounced in adolescents and the high learning abilities in adolescence are associated with structural changes in brain during this important period of development.
