Alcohol affects the adolescent brain differently than it affects the adult brain — because the human brain isn’t fully developed until about age 25.
The prefrontal cortex, often called the control center of the brain, is responsible for judgment, behavior and impulse control. It’s one of the areas of the adolescent brain most affected by alcohol. Even low levels of alcohol have a negative impact on planning, organizing, managing time, paying attention and inhibiting inappropriate behaviors. This is of particular concern during adolescence, a time when the frontal lobes of the brain are not fully developed and when many teens begin to misuse alcohol. 1
The cerebral cortex is where higher brain function occurs – things like memory, language and consciousness. The teenage brain seems to be less reactive than the adult brain to alcohol’s short-term effects (slurring words, losing balance or feeling sleepy). At the same time, adolescents appear to be particularly sensitive to the pleasurable effects of drinking, such as feeling more at ease in social situations, which may lead young people to drink more than adults. 2
The hippocampus is key for memory and learning. Some of the most serious alcohol-related brain damage during adolescence happens here. Alcohol can block a key receptor responsible for processing and storing memories; this effect is more pronounced in adolescents than in adults with fully developed brains. Adolescent brains are also much more sensitive to alcohol toxicity, and are more vulnerable to cell death. 3
The cerebellum controls balance, muscle coordination and contributes to memory formation. Drinking alcohol inhibits motor function and slows reaction time – which is why it’s so difficult and dangerous to drive after drinking. 4
The medulla controls vital functions such as breathing and the beating of the heart. When a person has been drinking heavily, it’s possible for these functions to become impaired. While this is true for people of all ages, it’s particularly dangerous for teenagers who, because they tend to not feel the negative effects of alcohol as much as adults, may tend to drink more alcohol in a shorter time. 5
The hypothalamus plays an important part in how our bodies respond to stress by coordinating the release of hormones that prepare us for “flight or fight.” This system, like many others is still developing during adolescence. Alcohol suppresses normal hormonal responses to stress in adolescents (and adults), and heavy drinking during adolescence can lead to long-lasting changes in how this system responds to stress in adulthood. There is even some suggestion from animal research that drinking during adolescence can lead to greater stress-induced drinking in adulthood. 6
It’s the job of responsible adults in kids’ lives to help provide the restraint that adolescent brains often can’t. Studies show over and over that parental behavior and communication can delay the initiation of alcohol consumption. Both words and deeds matter.
Kids who begin drinking before age 15
Someone who waits until age 21
These brain scans show functional activity levels in the brain of a healthy non-drinker (left), and a sober 21-year-old with a four-year history of heavy alcohol use (right). The “holes” indicate areas of reduced brain activity.
© Dr. Daniel Amen; www.amenclinic.com
These are highlights from Alcohol & The Adolescent Brain: Immediate Impairment, Long-Term Consequences, a comprehensive report presented to the Governor’s Substance Abuse and Underage Drinking Prevention and Treatment Task Force in February 2016.