Citation

Jacobus J, Tapert SF. Annu. Rev. Clin. Psychol. 2013; 9: 703-721.

Affiliation

Psychology Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, California 92161, and Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0603.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, Annual Reviews)

DOI

10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-050212-185610

PMID

23245341

Abstract

This review examines neuroimaging and neurocognitive findings on alcohol-related toxicity in adolescents. Teens who meet criteria for alcohol use disorders, as well as those who engage in subdiagnostic binge drinking behaviors, often show poorer neurocognitive performance, alterations in gray and white matter brain structure, and discrepant functional brain activation patterns when compared to nonusing and demographically matched controls. Abnormalities are also observed in teens with a family history of alcoholism, and such differences in neuromaturation may leave youths at increased risk for the development of an alcohol use disorder or increased substance use severity. More prospective investigations are needed, and future work should focus on disentangling preexisting differences from dose-dependent effects of alcohol on neurodevelopment. Intervention strategies that utilize neuroimaging findings (e.g., identified weaknesses in particular neural substrates and behavioral correlates) may be helpful in both prevention and intervention campaigns for teens both pre- and postinitiation of alcohol use. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Clinical Psychology Volume 9 is March 26, 2013. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/catalog/pubdates.aspx for revised estimates.

Language: en