Considerations for imaging the adolescent brain

In recent years the number of functional neuroimaging studies on adolescence has exploded. These studies have led to important new insights about the relation between functional brain development and behavior. However, special consideration is warranted when working with adolescents. In this review, we review variables, including pubertal stage, sleep patterns and pregnancy, which are particularly relevant for developmental cognitive neuroscience studies involving adolescents. Consideration of the unique challenges associated with adolescence will help the growing field of developmental neuroimaging standardize procedures and will eventually facilitate interpretation across studies.