Relation among HPA and HPG neuroendocrine systems, transmissible risk and neighborhood quality on development of substance use disorder: results of a 10-year prospective study.

Background: Research has shown involvement of hormones of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis and hypothalamic pituitary gonadal (HPG) axis in the regulation of behaviors that contribute to SUD risk and its intergenerational transmission. Neighborhood environment has also been shown to relate to hormones of these two neuroendocrine systems and behaviors associated with SUD liability. Accordingly, it was hypothesized that (1) parental SUD severity and neighborhood quality correlate with activity of the HPG axis (testosterone level) and HPA axis (cortisol stability), and (2) transmissible risk during childhood mediates these hormone variables on development of SUD measured in adulthood.

Prospective study of the association between abandoned dwellings and testosterone level on the development of behaviors leading to cannabis use disorder in boys.

Background: The role of testosterone in the development of behaviors presaging cannabis use and subsequently cannabis use disorder was investigated in a prospective study of 208 boys. It was theorized that adverse neighborhood correlates with testosterone level that in turn potentiates behaviors predisposing to cannabis consumption and subsequently diagnosis of cannabis use disorder.

Methods: Proportion of boarded-up dwellings in the 1990 census tract and testosterone level were recorded at baseline (ages 10-12), followed by assessments of assaultiveness and testosterone level (ages 12-14), social dominance/norm-violating behavior (SDNVB) (age 16), cannabis use (age 19), and cannabis use disorder (age 22).

Social dominance mediates the association of testosterone and neurobehavioral disinhibition with risk for substance use disorder.

This investigation determined the influence of testosterone and neurobehavioral disinhibition (ND) on risk for substance use disorder (SUD). Testosterone level during puberty was hypothesized to promote social dominance associated with norm-violating behavior that, in turn, predisposes individuals to use of illicit drugs and, subsequently, SUD. Using a prospective paradigm, the authors recruited 179 boys (mean age=11.

Testosterone levels and sexual maturation predict substance use disorders in adolescent boys: a prospective study.

Background: This investigation determined whether testosterone level and sexual maturation in boys biased development of socially nonnormative behavior culminating in a substance use disorder (SUD).

Methods: The subjects were 179 boys recruited in late childhood through a high-risk paradigm. Path analysis was used to evaluate the influence of testosterone level and sexual maturation in early adolescence (age 12-14) on attitudes toward antisociality, affiliation with deviant peers, and social potency in middle adolescence (age 16), illicit drug use by late adolescence (age 19), and SUD in young adulthood (age 22).

Should we consider an acceptable drinking level specifically for postmenopausal women? Preliminary findings from the postmenopausal health disparities study.

Aims: There are substantial neuroendocrine differences between postmenopausal (PMP) women and women with cyclic ovarian function; thus there are differences in hormonal responses to 'acceptable' levels of drinking, i.e. 7 total weekly drinks (TWD).