How an adolescent's brain reacts to faces may predict their social future

MedicalXpress | juil. 13, 2026

It's been said that eyes are a window to the soul, but new research has found that an adolescent's brain response to a face might open a window to their social future. A new study at the University of California, Davis Center for Mind and Brain found that high activity in the amygdala when an adolescent looks at a face showing emotion predicts their social health two years later. Increased amygdala activity for girls predicted more involvement with their peers but less involvement for boys.