Teenage Addiction and the Brain

Most drug use starts and peaks during adolescence

76.5% of all teens (<18 years of age) try an addictive substance◦ Alcohol 72%◦ Cigarettes 46%◦ Marijuana 38%◦ 19.4% will meet the criteria for a substance use

disorder

Brain development and the role of environmental triggers in substance abuse

Brief neurotransmission lesson

Diagram of a neuron Neurotransmitter transmission

No one sets out to become addicted First time use of any drug may be a choice

but biology takes over in addiction Every drug to which people can become

addicted does so primarily because of the release of the neurotransmitter Dopamine

Dopamine is involved in regulation of movement, reward and punishment, pleasure, and energy

Brain chemistry and addiction

Synaptic changes occur with maturation The fostering of these connections

promotes life long learning Connections can be impacted by substance

use during adolescence; if they are not formed or are abnormal, they lead to misinformation

Gray matter develops between the ages of 5 and 20

Nerve cells are covered with insulation (myelin) which is made up of fat

Insulated neurons travel together to make pathways

Myelination increases in adolescence

Brain development

Key brain regions◦ Frontal cortex – responsible for planning,

strategizing and judgment – develops later in youth

◦ Amygdala – responsible for emotional responses and assigns value to sensory stimuli

◦ Hippocampus – responsible for memory formation and stress regulation

◦ Corpus Callosum – connects the hemispheres and is responsible for creativity and problem solving

How does the adolescent brain function

All drugs that have reward impact will increase dopamine levels in the part of the brain associated with reward and motivational behavior

Adults have the ability to regulate their amygdala better than teens

The adult cortex can “throttle things down” but the teen cortex is not developed enough to do that as well

Dopamine activity in the prefrontal cortex during adolescence increases:◦ Impulsivity◦ Novelty/sensation seeking◦ Drug reward◦ Food reward

The adolescent brain functions differently when exposed to drugs

Drugs, dopamine and teens

Despite increased cognition and learning potential in the adolescent brain, they are more vulnerable because:

They respond strongly to rewarding stimuli They have lower inhibitory control Adolescents have less insight into their

mistakes

So why are adolescents vulnerable?

The timing of exposure to drugs dictates part of its enduring actions

For example, the age of onset of alcohol use is a predictor of future abuse◦ Below age 15, 4 to 5 times more likely to develop

alcoholism compared to those who start after age 21

◦ Alcohol dependence decreases 14% for every year a teen delays starting

How can this information be used in prevention

Age of onset: Early adolescent rats consume more alcohol than adult rats

Length of intoxication: Early adolescent rats consume more alcohol than adult rats

Alcohol inhibits ability to learn in adolescent rats more than in adult rates

This research demonstrates increased impact of alcohol use in adolescence versus adulthood

Results of animal studies

Adolescents are more inclined to be driven by rewards – use age appropriate approaches that support this tendency

Integrate prevention; gear toward general public, specific population or subgroup, and specific high risk individuals

Consider the brain when talking with teens◦ Teens interpret situations with amygdala (from an

emotional point of view) – remain calm, rationale and do not engage in emotional debate

Prevention Strategies