Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

CNS Depressants: Alcohol and Nicotine01:27

CNS Depressants: Alcohol and Nicotine

573
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...
573
CNS Stimulants: Cocaine, Amphetamines and Cannabinoids01:24

CNS Stimulants: Cocaine, Amphetamines and Cannabinoids

411
CNS stimulants, such as cocaine, amphetamines, and cannabinoids, have varying structures and mechanisms of action that lead to different therapeutic effects and side effects. Cocaine, with its molecular formula C17H21NO4, is a tropane alkaloid and a tertiary amino compound. It has two chemical forms: the hydrochloride salt and the "freebase." The former is in powder form, while the latter involves removing the hydrochloride salt to create a form that can be smoked. Cocaine exerts its...
411
An Overview of Psychoactive Drugs01:28

An Overview of Psychoactive Drugs

335
Psychoactive drugs impact brain function, influencing perception, mood, consciousness, cognition, and behavior. These substances are grouped based on their effects and the mechanisms by which they act.
Stimulants such as cocaine, amphetamines, and nicotine enhance brain activity, leading to increased alertness, attention, and energy. These drugs typically raise heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature. While they can induce feelings of euphoria, their misuse can result in severe health...
335
Depressants01:28

Depressants

204
Depressant drugs, including alcohol and sedative-hypnotics, diminish central nervous system activity by enhancing the action of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a neurotransmitter that reduces brain activity and promotes relaxation. These substances can have various therapeutic uses but also pose significant risks, especially when misused or combined.
Alcohol is a common depressant that can induce a sense of relaxation and reduced inhibition at low doses. Contrary to its occasional...
204
Hallucinogens and Psychedelics01:27

Hallucinogens and Psychedelics

328
Hallucinogens are psychoactive substances that profoundly alter perceptual experiences, generating unreal visual and sensory images. Often referred to as psychedelic drugs — a term derived from the Greek words "psyche" (mind) and "delos" (revealing) — these substances include marijuana and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), among others. These drugs vary in intensity and effects.
Marijuana, derived from the dried leaves and flowers of the hemp plant, contains...
328
Substance Use Disorders Affecting Sleep01:24

Substance Use Disorders Affecting Sleep

240
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,...
240

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Social Media Usage and Its Association With the Social Media Addiction Questionnaire Scale Among Early Adolescents.

JAACAP open·2026
Same author

Identifying impulsivity and substance use measures in neuroimaging datasets: A scoping review and searchable dataset repository for researchers.

Current addiction reports·2026
Same author

Associations between prenatal alcohol exposure and parent-reported sleep disturbances in 10,336 adolescents: an Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study.

Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines·2026
Same author

Unified Multi-Cohort Harmonisation and Normative Modelling of Neuroimaging Data via Hierarchical GAMLSS.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Associations of Low-Level Prenatal Alcohol and Cannabis Exposure With Adolescent Cognitive Trajectories.

Alcohol, clinical & experimental research·2026
Same author

Prior cannabis vapor exposure impairs pattern separation in rodents of multiple ages but is rescued by citicoline administration.

Neuroscience·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 19, 2025

Brain Morphology of Cannabis Users With or Without Psychosis: A Pilot MRI Study
07:30

Brain Morphology of Cannabis Users With or Without Psychosis: A Pilot MRI Study

Published on: August 18, 2020

6.9K

Alcohol and Cannabis Use and the Developing Brain.

Briana Lees1, Jennifer Debenham1, Lindsay M Squeglia2

  • 1Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia.

Alcohol Research : Current Reviews
|September 27, 2021
PubMed
Summary

Adolescent alcohol and cannabis use can disrupt brain development, leading to cognitive impairments. More research is needed to understand the full impact of these substances on the developing brain.

Keywords:
adolescencealcoholbraincannabiscognitionneuroimaging

More Related Videos

The Use of Trace Eyeblink Classical Conditioning to Assess Hippocampal Dysfunction in a Rat Model of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
19:57

The Use of Trace Eyeblink Classical Conditioning to Assess Hippocampal Dysfunction in a Rat Model of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

Published on: August 5, 2017

8.5K
Construction of Vapor Chambers Used to Expose Mice to Alcohol During the Equivalent of all Three Trimesters of Human Development
15:27

Construction of Vapor Chambers Used to Expose Mice to Alcohol During the Equivalent of all Three Trimesters of Human Development

Published on: July 13, 2014

14.9K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Oct 19, 2025

Brain Morphology of Cannabis Users With or Without Psychosis: A Pilot MRI Study
07:30

Brain Morphology of Cannabis Users With or Without Psychosis: A Pilot MRI Study

Published on: August 18, 2020

6.9K
The Use of Trace Eyeblink Classical Conditioning to Assess Hippocampal Dysfunction in a Rat Model of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
19:57

The Use of Trace Eyeblink Classical Conditioning to Assess Hippocampal Dysfunction in a Rat Model of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

Published on: August 5, 2017

8.5K
Construction of Vapor Chambers Used to Expose Mice to Alcohol During the Equivalent of all Three Trimesters of Human Development
15:27

Construction of Vapor Chambers Used to Expose Mice to Alcohol During the Equivalent of all Three Trimesters of Human Development

Published on: July 13, 2014

14.9K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Addiction Research

Background:

  • Adolescence is a critical period for brain development.
  • Alcohol and cannabis are frequently used by adolescents.
  • Substance use during this period may impact neurodevelopment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent literature on the effects of adolescent alcohol and cannabis use on the developing brain.
  • To synthesize findings on structural and functional brain changes.
  • To identify gaps in current research.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic literature search across multiple databases (MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, ProQuest Central, Web of Science).
  • Inclusion of 43 longitudinal studies examining adolescent substance use and neurodevelopmental outcomes.
  • Studies focused on alcohol, cannabis, or co-use.

Main Results:

  • Heavy adolescent alcohol and cannabis use are linked to brain structure and function disruptions.
  • Alcohol use associated with gray matter decreases, white matter integrity issues, and cognitive deficits.
  • Cannabis use linked to altered brain volumes, disrupted functional development, and reduced executive functioning.

Conclusions:

  • Adolescent substance use poses risks to brain development and cognitive function.
  • Effects vary by substance, dose, and co-use patterns.
  • Further large-scale longitudinal research is crucial to clarify these complex relationships.