Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 12, 2026

Author Spotlight: Understanding Adolescent Social Adversity Effects on Neurodevelopment in Mice
Published on: March 15, 2024
Adolescence, glucocorticoids and alcohol
Mark A Prendergast1, Hilary J Little
1Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, B363 BBSRB, 741 S. Limestone, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536-0509, USA.
Abstract:
This review examines the evidence that glucocorticoids are involved, during both adolescence and adulthood, in the cognitive deficits caused by long-term alcohol consumption and in the mechanism(s) of alcohol dependence. During adolescence, the hypothalamopituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis undergoes well-characterized changes in basal activity and many of these are influenced by alcohol consumption. While the former have been fairly well studied, there is little information about whether alcohol effects on the HPA in adolescents differ from those in adults. The means by which glucocorticoids may influence alcohol-related neurotoxicity are presented, and potential differences between adolescence and adults in this regard noted. The substantial evidence for involvement of glucocorticoids in alcohol-induced cognitive deficits is described, with particular reference to the consequences of alcohol withdrawal. The use of immature organotypic cultures of rodent brain in the study of alcohol neurotoxicity is considered in detail, and the information obtained from this methodology concerning the role of glucocorticoid receptors and excitable membrane proteins in this neurotoxicity. The influence of glucocorticoids on alcohol consumption and possible contributions to alcohol dependence are then considered. In conclusion, more information concerning the effects of glucocorticoids on plasticity and alcohol neurotoxicity during the adolescent period is needed.
More Related Videos
19:57The Use of Trace Eyeblink Classical Conditioning to Assess Hippocampal Dysfunction in a Rat Model of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
Published on: August 5, 2017
15:27Construction of Vapor Chambers Used to Expose Mice to Alcohol During the Equivalent of all Three Trimesters of Human Development
Published on: July 13, 2014
Related Concept Videos
CNS Depressants: Alcohol and Nicotine
Influence of Parents and Peers on Identity
Parental Influence on Identity Development
Parents serve as primary guides and managers in an adolescent's life, offering support instrumental in decision-making and personal growth....
Pulmonary Tuberculosis I
Causative Organism
The primary infectious agent causing tuberculosis is Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a slow-growing, acid-fast, aerobic rod that exhibits sensitivity to heat and ultraviolet light. Instances of Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium avium contributing to the development of TB infection are rare.
Mode of...
Cognitive Development During Adolescence
Adrenal Gland Disorders
Adrenal insufficiency, characterized by insufficient cortisol and aldosterone production, leads to conditions like Addison's disease. This disorder, affecting the adrenal cortex, exhibits symptoms such as skin bronzing, dehydration, low blood pressure, fatigue, and weight loss. Congenital adrenal hyperplasia, a genetic ailment causing...
Self-Presentation: Self-Monitoring and Self-Handicapping