Cited by 145Substance Abuse Treatment and OutcomesNeural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesPrenatal Substance Exposure Effects

Effects of alcohol use initiation on brain structure in typically developing adolescents

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Luciana, Monica, Collins, Paul F., Muetzel, Ryan L., Lim, Kelvin O.·2013·The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Alcohol use in excessive quantities has deleterious effects on brain structure and behavior in adults and during periods of rapid neurodevelopment, such as prenatally. Whether similar outcomes characterize other developmental periods, such as adolescence, and in the context of less extensive use is unknown. Recent cross-sectional studies suggest that binge drinking as well as alcohol use disorders in adolescence are associated with disruptions in white matter microstructure and gray matter volumes. OBJECTIVES: The current study followed typically developing adolescents from a baseline assessment, where no experience with alcohol was present, through two years, after which some individuals transitioned into regular use. METHODS: Participants (n = 55) completed MRI scans and behavioral assessments. RESULTS: Alcohol initiators (n = 30; mean baseline age 16.7 ± 1.3 years), compared to non-users (n = 25; mean baseline age 17.1 ± 1.2 years), showed altered patterns of neurodevelopment. They showed greater-than-expected decreases in cortical thickness in the right middle frontal gyrus from baseline to follow-up as well as blunted development of white matter in the right hemisphere precentral gyrus, lingual gyrus, middle temporal gyrus and anterior cingulate. Diffusion tensor imaging revealed a relative decrease over time in fractional anisotropy in the left caudate/thalamic region as well as in the right inferior frontal occipital fasciculus. Alcohol initiators did not differ from non-users at the baseline assessment; the groups were largely similar in other premorbid characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: Subclinical alcohol use during mid-to-late adolescence is associated with deviations in neurodevelopment across several brain tissue classes. Implications for continued development and behavior are discussed.

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Crossref · 10.3109/00952990.2013.837057

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  • Following adolescent alcohol exposure, there are accelerated decreases in gray matter and attenuated increases in white matter.

    “Specifically, there are accelerated decreases in gray matter and attenuated increases in white matter [92, 93] following AAE.”

    From Consequences of adolescent drug use (2023) · cites this paper as [93]

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Authors
Luciana, M., Collins, P. F., Muetzel, R. L., & Lim, K. O.
Affiliations
  • University of Minnesota (US)
  • Erasmus MC - Sophia Children’s Hospital (NL)
Corresponding author
Luciana, Monica
Venue
The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse
Published
2013-11-01
Volume
39
Issue
6
Pages
345-355
ISSN
  • 0095-2990 (ISSN-L)
  • 1097-9891
OpenAlex
W1972039452
Cited by
145
References
77
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 14 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 17 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 1
FWCI
7.77
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (AA020033, R01AA020033)
  • National Institute on Drug Abuse (DA017843, R01DA017843)
  • National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (P30NS076408)
  • National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (P41EB015894)
  • National Center for Research Resources (P41RR008079)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Prenatal Substance Exposure Effects
Keywords
alcohol use initiation, adolescent alcohol use, brain structure, brain development, cortical thickness, white matter microstructure, fractional anisotropy, gray matter volume, typically developing adolescents, binge drinking, caudate nucleus, inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, middle frontal gyrus
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adolescent Behavior, Age Factors, Alcohol Drinking, Brain, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Prospective Studies, Time Factors, Adolescent Development, Young Adult, Diffusion Tensor Imaging

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