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Disruption of Frontal Lobe Neural Synchrony During Cognitive Control by Alcohol Intoxication
Published on: February 6, 2019
Circadian misalignment, reward-related brain function, and adolescent alcohol involvement
Brant P Hasler1, Duncan B Clark
1Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3811 O’Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. haslerbp@upmc.edu
Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research
|January 31, 2013
Summary
Adolescent circadian rhythm delays disrupt sleep, increasing alcohol use disorder risk by altering brain reward systems. This misalignment impacts cognitive control and sensation-seeking behaviors.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Sleep Science
- Addiction Research
Background:
- Adolescence features significant changes in sleep and circadian rhythms.
- These changes may contribute to reward system dysfunction.
- This dysfunction elevates the risk for developing alcohol use disorders (AUDs).
Purpose of the Study:
- To review adolescent changes in circadian rhythms, reward function, and alcohol involvement.
- To examine the association between these parallel developmental changes.
- To propose a model where circadian misalignment increases AUD risk via altered reward brain function.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of adolescent sleep, circadian rhythms, and alcohol use.
- Analysis of evidence linking developmental changes in these areas.
- Conceptual modeling of circadian misalignment's impact on reward circuitry.
Main Results:
- Sleep timing shifts later in adolescence due to delayed endogenous circadian rhythms.
- This delay conflicts with early school start times, causing circadian misalignment.
- Misalignment correlates with increased alcohol use, risk-taking, sleep disturbance, and altered reward system function.
Conclusions:
- Circadian misalignment disrupts adolescent reward mechanisms.
- This disruption may accelerate the progression from alcohol use to AUDs.
- Vulnerable adolescents are particularly at risk.
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