Binge drinking may delay a teen's brain development

By Staff Writer

Although many teenagers view alcohol consumption as a rite of passage, most of them are unaware of the damage that drinking can cause to their bodies.

A study that will be published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experiment Research has revealed that the use of alcohol and drugs such as marijuana could negatively impact cognitive function in adulthood. According to the researchers, binge drinking is a harmful habit that could have a significant impact on normal developmental processes, which could affect a teenager's learning ability and social adjustment.

The team assessed a group of 19 adolescents who had been diagnosed with substance abuse or addiction problems. Compared to the control teenagers, this group demonstrated a significant decrease in attention span and executive function.

"It could be that intense drinking during adolescence leads to delays or incomplete development of frontal brain regions," the researchers said. "It is likely that these effects would abate with abstinence from or at least a reduction of drinking."

Boarding schools may enable troubled teens with substance dependency to change their lifestyle habits and improve socially, academically and behaviorally.