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Journal of Psychopharmacology, Vol. 21, No. 8, 792-794 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/0269881107078309

Substance use and the adolescent brain: A toxic combination?

Dan I. Lubman

ORYGEN Research Centre, Department of Psychiarty, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, dan.lubman{at}mh.org.au

Murat Yücel

ORYGEN Research Centre, Victoria, Australia, Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Wayne D. Hall

School of Population Health, University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, Australia

Early onset substance use has consistently been associated with increased risk for a range of adverse outcomes in late adolescence and early adulthood. However, the mechanisms that underlie this relationship are not fully understood. Recent advances in developmental neuro-science, together with emerging literature on early onset substance use, suggest that the adolescent brain may be more vulnerable to the effects of addictive substances because of the extensive neuromaturational processes that are occurring during this period. Such findings are suggestive of disrupted developmental trajectories in early onset users, although there is growing evidence that high-risk youths have premorbid neurobiological vulnerabilities. Prospective studies investigating neurobiological correlates and sequelae of early adolescent drug use are urgently required to inform appropriate public health responses.

Key Words: adolescence • drugs • brain development • cannabis • alcohol • inhalants • public health

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This Article
Right arrow Abstract Freely available
Right arrow Free Full Text (Free PDF) Free
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to Saved Citations
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Request Reprints
Right arrow Add to My Marked Citations
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (2)
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Lubman, D. I.
Right arrow Articles by Hall, W. D.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Lubman, D. I.
Right arrow Articles by Hall, W. D.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati  
What's this?