Adolescents Most Susceptible to Addiction, Study Finds
The developmental stage from adolescence to adult is often associated with a greater vulnerability to addictions than at any other point during the human life cycle.
Suggested reasons for this include:
- Genetic predisposition
- Poor impulse control/judgement
- Heightened sensitivity of the still-developing brain
A new study published in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research claims that the effects of heavy alcohol consumption during adolescence can have lasting and potentially detrimental consequences later in life, including an increased susceptibility to alcohol addiction.
It assesses how differing levels of exposure to alcohol vapours changed the brain functioning of mice and found that chronic exposure during adolescence produced significant and persistent brain alternations.
Comparable results were not found in adult mice, suggesting a particularly acute vulnerability to alcohol and its effects during adolescence.
While providing an important basis for investigation, the extent to which these findings can be applied to humans requires further research.
