title: Neurobiology of Adolescent Substance Use Disorders.
abstract: There are many facets of the neurobiology of substance use that are distinct in adolescence as compared with adulthood. The adolescent brain is subject to intense subcortical reward processes, but is left with an immature prefrontal control system that is often unable to resist the pull of potentially exciting activities like substance use, even when fully aware of the dangers involved. Peer influences serve only to magnify these effects and foster more sensation-seeking, risky behavior. The unique aspects of neurobiology should be taken into consideration when designing prevention programs and clinical interventions for adolescent substance use disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, 4800 Sand Point Way NE, Mailstop OA.5.154, PO Box 5371, Seattle, WA 98105-0371, USA.
authors.forename: Aditi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Addiction Treatment Services, University of Michigan, 4250 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. Electronic address: jonmorro@med.umich.edu.
authors.forename: Jonathan D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Morrow
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D041923:Adolescent Development / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000502:physiology; D000067074:Peer Influence; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology
keywords: Addiction; Adolescence; Development; Neurobiology; Substance use