Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 11, 2026
09:26
Disruption of Frontal Lobe Neural Synchrony During Cognitive Control by Alcohol Intoxication
Published on: February 6, 2019
Executive functioning among young people in relation to alcohol use
1Departments of Psychiatry & Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA. sjnixon@ufl.edu
Current Opinion in Psychiatry
|May 23, 2013
Summary
Neurobehavioral factors influence alcohol misuse risk and consequences in youth. Research shows persistent brain changes linked to adolescent alcohol use, even without obvious behavioral deficits.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Addiction Research
Background:
- Limited attention historically given to neurobehavioral factors in adolescent alcohol misuse.
- Need to understand predisposing factors and consequences of alcohol use during critical developmental periods.
Purpose of the Study:
- Review recent findings on neurobehavioral factors associated with alcohol misuse risk.
- Examine neurobehavioral changes resulting from alcohol misuse in adolescence and emerging adulthood.
Main Methods:
- Integration of multiple assessment methods.
- Application of behavioral and neuroimaging technologies.
- Analysis of longitudinal data on adolescent alcohol use.
Main Results:
- Reinforced findings of alcohol-related macrostructure changes in the brain.
- Identified previously underappreciated alterations in brain connectivity.
- Longitudinal data suggest persistent neurobehavioral aberrations linked to problem alcohol use in adolescence.
Conclusions:
- Recent studies offer critical insights into executive function deficits in individuals at risk for or with alcohol use disorders.
- Brain connectivity and microstructure changes may occur even without evident behavioral deficits.
- Further longitudinal research is needed to link these alterations to alcohol use trajectories and long-term adaptation.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:30Information Processing Approach
The information-processing theory of cognitive development centers on fundamental mental processes, including attention, memory, and problem-solving skills. Researchers in this field examine how cognitive abilities, such as working memory, evolve and influence children's overall development. Studies indicate that children with stronger working memory tend to excel in reading comprehension, math, and problem-solving compared to peers with less efficient memory skills. Low working memory is also...
01:24Substance Use Disorders Affecting Sleep
Substance use disorders involve a pattern of using drugs more extensively than intended and continuing use despite harmful consequences. This includes legal substances like alcohol and nicotine, as well as illegal drugs. These disorders often involve both physical and psychological dependence, reflecting compulsive use of substances that significantly alter thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, contributing to a major public health issue.
Understanding the concepts of physical dependence,...
Understanding the concepts of physical dependence,...
01:24Revisionist Views of Adolescent and Adult Cognition
A revisionist approach to Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development has brought new insights that challenge and reinterpret his established ideas. Piaget proposed that the formal operational stage, emerging in adolescence, represents the culmination of cognitive maturity. During this stage, individuals are said to develop abstract thinking, engage in systematic problem-solving, and show a form of egocentrism, believing others are as preoccupied with their behavior as they are themselves.
02:05Self-Presentation: Self-Monitoring and Self-Handicapping
People can go to great lengths to protect their self-image and present themselves in ways that they want others to see them. Sociologist Erving Goffman presented the idea that a person is like an actor on a stage. Calling his theory dramaturgy, Goffman believed that we use “impression management” to present ourselves to others as we hope to be perceived. Each situation is a new scene, and individuals perform different roles depending on who is present (Goffman, 1959). Think about the way you...
01:27CNS Depressants: Alcohol and Nicotine
Ethanol, a clear colorless alcohol, has been consumed by humans for millennia, but its effects on the body are far from benign. At lower doses, it induces decreased inhibitions and loquaciousness, leading to its social appeal. However, it can cause severe consequences at higher doses, such as coma and respiratory depression, due to its zero-order elimination kinetics. Chronic ethanol abuse wreaks havoc on multiple organ systems, particularly the CNS and the liver. Abrupt cessation of ethanol...
01:30Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by persistent inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. It affects approximately 5-8% of children globally, with around 60-70% of cases persisting into adulthood. ADHD has significant implications for educational attainment, social interactions, and occupational success.
Diagnostic Criteria and Symptoms
To diagnose ADHD, symptoms must manifest before age 12 and be evident across multiple settings.
Diagnostic Criteria and Symptoms
To diagnose ADHD, symptoms must manifest before age 12 and be evident across multiple settings.