The Primal Teen: What the New Discoveries About the Teenage Brain Tell Us About Our Kids. (Nonfiction).(Book Review)(Brief Article)

BARBARA STRAUCH. Doubleday, $24.95 (246p) ISBN 0-385-50339-3

Strauch, medical science and health editor at the New York Times, sets out to offer reassurance to parents baffled by their kids' seemingly irrational and erratic behavior. She discusses the latest research, including brain scans that show changes in the brain's structure and function that could explain the "crazy" behavior exhibited by teens. In addition to reviewing various research projects around the country, Strauch also includes discussions with both parents and teenagers. Parents lament their inability to understand why a straight--A student suddenly loses interest in school or starts behaving …