title: Impact of pubertal stage at first drink on adult drinking behavior.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Early alcohol use is one of the strongest predictors of later alcohol use disorders, with early use usually taking place during puberty. Many researchers have suggested drinking during puberty as a potential biological basis of the age at first drink (AFD) effect. However, the influence of the pubertal phase at alcohol use initiation on subsequent drinking in later life has not been examined so far.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pubertal stage at first drink (PSFD) was determined in N = 283 young adults (131 males, 152 females) from an epidemiological cohort study. At ages 19, 22, and 23 years, drinking behavior (number of drinking days, amount of alcohol consumed, hazardous drinking) was assessed using interview and questionnaire methods. Additionally, an animal study examined the effects of pubertal or adult ethanol (EtOH) exposure on voluntary EtOH consumption in later life in 20 male Wistar rats.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PSFD predicted drinking behavior in humans in early adulthood, indicating that individuals who had their first drink during puberty displayed elevated drinking levels compared to those with postpubertal drinking onset. These findings were corroborated by the animal study, in which rats that received free access to alcohol during the pubertal period were found to consume more alcohol as adults, compared to the control animals that first came into contact with alcohol during adulthood.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results point to a significant role of stage of pubertal development at first contact with alcohol for the development of later drinking habits. Possible biological mechanisms and implications for prevention are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: Dorothea
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Blomeyer
authors.forename: Chris M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Friemel
authors.forename: Arlette F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Buchmann
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Banaschewski
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laucht
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schneider
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D000818:Animals; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011627:Puberty / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012741:Sexual Maturation / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Age at First Drink; Alcohol Use; Prospective Longitudinal Study; Puberty; Young Adulthood