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Science & Cocktails is proud to host Sarah-Jayne Blakemore, award-winning Professor of Psychology at the University of Cambridge, and author of the book , who will tell you everything about the adolescent brain. All this after Ibrahim Electric plays fashioned soul/jazz, afrobeat and 60’s acid-power-beat.

How do environmental factors, such as family relationships, friendships, academic stress and social media, influence adolescent development and mental health? How should a developmental understanding of adolescence inform policies and practices in education, mental health, public health and the legal system?

Adolescence is a period of biological, cognitive and social development, which is shaped by environmental influences such as family, peers, education and culture. It is also the stage of life when many mental health challenges first emerge, making it a crucial window for early support and intervention. In this episode, we will explore how research in developmental cognitive neuroscience has increased our understanding of this period of life, particularly adolescents’ heightened sensitivity to social feedback and increased vulnerability to external stressors. This episode will also examine how scientific insights apply beyond the lab, with implications for education, mental health, public health and the legal system, where a developmental perspective is increasingly informing policy. By connecting scientific evidence with societal relevance, Sarah-Jayne Blakemore will make the case for developmentally informed policies and practices that better support young people across multiple domains of their lives.