Modeling adolescent development and alcohol use in animals.
Though certain characteristics found in human adolescents are clearly unique, there are other key characteristics of this developmental stage that are common across a number of species. Animal models offer researchers unique insight into the effects of alcohol on the adolescent. This age period is particularly important for study, because this is the time during which many people first experiment with alcohol. It is possible that features of the adolescent brain may in fact predispose a youngster to behave in ways that place him or her at particular risk for experimenting with alcohol or other drugs. In addition to behavioral changes, a number of important physiological alterations occur during adolescence, including changes in brain regions implicated in modulating the reinforcing effects of alcohol and other drugs of abuse.
Spear
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Department of Psychology, Center for Developmental Psychobiology at Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York, USA.
D000293:Adolescent / Q000502:physiology*; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D051381:Rats; D012309:Risk-Taking