Gender effects on amygdala morphometry in adolescent marijuana users.

Adolescent developments in limbic structures and the endogenous cannabinoid system suggest that teenagers may be more vulnerable to the negative consequences of marijuana use. This study examined the relationships between amygdala volume and internalizing symptoms in teenaged chronic marijuana users. Participants were 35 marijuana users and 47 controls ages 16-19 years.

Impact of Adolescent Alcohol and Drug Use on Neuropsychological Functioning in Young Adulthood: 10-Year Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Alcohol and other substance use disorders (AUD/SUD) are common among youth and often continue into adulthood; therefore, the neurocognitive effects of substance use are of great concern. Because neuromaturation continues into young adulthood, youth with AUD/SUD may be at risk for lasting cognitive decrements. This study prospectively examines neuropsychological functioning over 10 years as a function of AUD/SUD history and outcomes.

The influence of recency of use on fMRI response during spatial working memory in adolescent marijuana users.

Some neurocognitive recovery occurs within a month of abstinence from heavy marijuana use, yet functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has revealed altered activation among recent and abstinent adult users. We compared fMRI response during a spatial working memory (SWM) task between adolescent marijuana users with brief and sustained durations of abstinence. Participants were 13 recent users (two to seven days abstinent), 13 abstinent users (27 to 60 days abstinent), and 18 nonusing controls, all ages 15 to 18.

Longitudinal study of cognition among adolescent marijuana users over three weeks of abstinence.

Background: Cognitive deficits that persist up to a month have been detected among adult marijuana users, but decrements and their pattern of recovery are less known in adolescent users. Previously, we reported cognitive deficits among adolescent marijuana users after one month of abstinence (Medina, Hanson, Schweinsburg, Cohen-Zion, Nagel, & Tapert, 2007). In this longitudinal study, we characterized neurocognitive changes among marijuana-using adolescents across the first three weeks of abstinence.

Hippocampal volumes in adolescents with and without a family history of alcoholism.

Background And Objectives: The hippocampus may be vulnerable to the effects of heavy alcohol use during adolescence, which is a time of continued neurodevelopment. However, differences in hippocampal volume may be due to risk factors such as a family history (FH) of alcoholism. We examined hippocampal volumes in youth with and without a FH of alcoholism prior to the initiation of alcohol use.

Abnormal cerebellar morphometry in abstinent adolescent marijuana users.

Functional neuroimaging data from adults have, in general, revealed frontocerebellar dysfunction associated with acute and chronic marijuana (MJ) use. The goal of this study was to characterize cerebellar volume in adolescent chronic MJ users following 1 month of monitored abstinence. Participants were MJ users (n=16) and controls (n=16) aged 16-18 years.

Prefrontal cortex morphometry in abstinent adolescent marijuana users: subtle gender effects.

Adult human studies suggest frontal dysfunction associated with chronic marijuana (MJ) use, but due to continued neuromaturation, adult studies may not generalize to adolescents. This study characterized prefrontal cortex (PFC) morphometry in chronic MJ-using adolescents following 1 month of monitored abstinence. Data were collected from MJ users (n = 16) and controls (n = 16) aged 16-18.

Prefrontal cortex volumes in adolescents with alcohol use disorders: unique gender effects.

Background: Adolescents with alcohol use disorders (AUD) have shown smaller prefrontal cortex (PFC) volumes compared with healthy controls; however, differences may have been due to comorbid disorders. This study examined PFC volumes in male and female adolescents with AUD who did not meet criteria for comorbid mood or attention disorders.

Methods: Participants were adolescents aged 15 to 17 who met criteria for AUD (n = 14), and demographically similar healthy controls (n = 17).

Neuropsychological functioning in adolescent marijuana users: subtle deficits detectable after a month of abstinence.

In adults, studies examining the long-lasting cognitive effects of marijuana use demonstrate subtle deficits in attention, executive function, and memory. Because neuromaturation continues through adolescence, these results cannot necessarily generalize to adolescent marijuana users. The goal of this study was to examine neuropsychological functioning in abstinent marijuana using and demographically similar control adolescents.

Depressive symptoms in adolescents: associations with white matter volume and marijuana use.

Background: Depressed mood has been associated with decreased white matter and reduced hippocampal volumes. However, the relationship between brain structure and mood may be unique among adolescents who use marijuana heavily. The goal of this study was to examine the relationship between white matter and hippocampal volumes and depressive symptoms among adolescent marijuana users and controls.

Effects of alcohol and combined marijuana and alcohol use during adolescence on hippocampal volume and asymmetry.

Background: Converging lines of evidence suggest that the hippocampus may be particularly vulnerable to deleterious effects of alcohol and marijuana use, especially during adolescence. The goal of this study was to examine hippocampal volume and asymmetry in adolescent users of alcohol and marijuana.

Methods: Participants were adolescent (aged 15-18) alcohol (ALC) users (n=16), marijuana and alcohol (MJ+ALC) users (n=26), and demographically similar controls (n=21).

Anxiety, depression, and behavioral symptoms of executive dysfunction in ecstasy users: contributions of polydrug use.

Background: Given ecstasy's (MDMA) potential serotonergic neurotoxicity, it is plausible that regular ecstasy users would have an elevated prevalence of behavioral executive dysfunction or mood symptoms. However, recent studies have found that the relationship between ecstasy use and psychological symptoms was no longer significant after controlling for marijuana use (e.g.

Age-related changes in prefrontal white matter volume across adolescence.

Past research has suggested that white matter volume increases from childhood to adulthood; however, during adolescence, there is somewhat limited data to support this finding. In the present study, 65 typically developing adolescents underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging. Using magnetic resonance imaging, prefrontal white matter volumes were examined in relation to adolescent age and sex.

Memory functioning in polysubstance dependent women.

Background: The vast majority of studies on polysubstance abuse or dependence have utilized male participants; therefore, the specific neuropsychological effects of polysubstance dependence in women are relatively unknown. The goal of the present study is to examine the effects of polysubstance dependence on women's verbal and visual memory ability.

Methods: Data were collected from 109 women (46 controls and 63 polysubstance dependence women who were similar in ethnic identification, education, age, and verbal ability).

Ecstasy (MDMA) exposure and neuropsychological functioning: a polydrug perspective.

Ecstasy (MDMA) is a popular drug that can act as a selective serotonin neurotoxin in several species. The goal of the present study was to examine the relationship between ecstasy exposure and cognitive functioning after controlling for other drug use and demographic variables. Furthermore, we assessed whether gender was a moderator of the relationship between cognitive functioning and ecstasy use.

Corsi Block-Tapping task performance as a function of path configuration.

The Corsi Block-Tapping (CB) task has been used as a measure of spatial memory since its development in 1971. However, a standard set of items has been developed for this task, and inconsistencies in performances within levels have been demonstrated in association with different path configuration. This study investigated item consistency by analyzing the performances of 94 young adult participants on a block-tapping task that involved five quasi-randomly determined sequences at each of nice levels of difficulty.

Cognitive functioning and length of abstinence in polysubstance dependent men.

To date, there are few large-scale studies that have examined the relationship between duration of abstinence and cognitive functioning in polysubstance-dependent individuals. Existing large-scale studies of polysubstance abusers have reported only minimal recovery of cognitive functioning with abstinence [Arch. Gen.

Self-administration of alcohol before and after a public speaking challenge by individuals with social phobia.

K. Abrams, M. Kushner, K.