Substance use and adolescent brain development

There is growing evidence from both the animal and human literature that adolescence is associated with an increased sensitivity to the neurotoxic properties of addictive drugs, possibly resulting in significant cognitive deficits and structural brain changes. At the same time there is also evidence that adolescents are less sensitive to some of the behavioural effects of acute drug use, allowing them to use substances at higher doses for longer periods than their adult counterparts. This prospective project aims to assess the impact of alcohol and drug use on brain structure and cognitive and affective functioning in a broad sample of adolescents assessed when they were aged 12. Longitudinal assessments are currently being conducted as part of the Adolescent Development Study, which is lead by A/Prof Nick Allen.