Adolescents and Alcohol

   Commonly, when a person hits adolescents, they begin experimenting with drugs, specifically alcohol. Adolescents generally become familiar with alcohol by age fourteen and typically drink twice as much, per drinking episode, than the average adult. It has been discovered that adolescents are more vulnerable and sensitive to alcohol than adults. Scientists believe this may be because the neural systems are undergoing age specific transformations. These transformations are more responsive than the average adults neural system. This is concerning because alcohol abuse in adolescents could influence their neural transformation and cause long-lasting consequences. 

            It has been found in rodent adolescent models that the acute effects of EtOH differs from the use of EtOH in adult rodents; however, whether the effect is more or less sensitive depends on the actual effect that is being measured. For instance, research teams have found that adolescents are more vulnerable to the “memory-disrupting” effects of EtOH. Adolescent rodents have also shown that they are largely stimulated by the effect of social behavior that EtOH induces. On the other hand, it has been found that adolescents are less sensitive than adults when it comes to social impairment and motor impairment. One explanation for these differences is that the speed of absorption, distribution and metabolic rate of EtOH may differ with age. Also, after a does of EtOH, adolescents usually recover their correct response quicker than adults; this leads to the belief that an adolescent’s brain is less sensitive to the EtOH sedative properties. Research has also found that those who start drinking in their adolescence have a higher chance of developing problematic alcohol use problems. Furthermore, adolescents who participate in binge drinking for a period of time, show alterations in brain volume, white matter, and patterns of brain activation during cognitive tasks. It has been found that the effect of EtOH on neurobehavioral functioning depends on the time of the EtOH exposure.

            This research shows that based on age, people’s reactions and experience with alcohol will differ. These conclusions warrant more research and allow for the medical model to further explore how alcohol affects people and why it does not affect all, specifically adolescents, in the same manner. Because this research has been conducted on rodents, and not humans, it does have limitations. However, this research does still add another consideration in attempting to discover the mystery of alcohol and its complex affects on the human species.  

 Abstract

Spear, L. P. (2014). Adolescents and alcohol: acute sensitivities, enhanced intake, and later consequences. Neurotoxicology and Teratology, 41, 51-59. doi:10.1016/j.ntt.2013.11.2006