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110 mins
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55 hits |
| Topic: |
Drug use, teenage brain development and mental health: insights from neuroscience |
| Speaker: |
Associate Professor Murat Yucel |
| Outline: |
Early onset use or frequent substance use is consistently associated with a wide range of adverse outcomes, including cognitive difficulties, structural brain changes and mental health problems. For example, studies suggest that heavy cannabis use is associated with learning and memory problems, brain changes and increased risk for psychotic symptoms. Furthermore, there is increasing evidence of a dose-response effect, and the risks are even greater if cannabis exposure occurs during adolescence. Recent advances in brain imaging and cognitive neuroscience, combined with a better understanding of normal brain development and genetics have led to a better understanding of the specific biological mechanisms in the brain that underpin this relationship. In this talk, I will discuss recent evidence from our brain imaging work in cannabis, opiate and inhalant abusing populations to highlight the neurodevelopmental harms associated with adolescent substance abuse. Our recent findings raise questions regarding the use of drugs during adolescence and have important implications for our understanding of the relationship between drug use, brain development and mental health, as well as prevention and early intervention approaches. |
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| Streaming: |
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QuickTime
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