Substance use disorders in adults commonly have their onset in adolescence, with earlier onset predicting subsequent development of dependency and abuse. Our long-term objectives here are reduction of substance use disorders through an improved understanding of the precursors of early initiation of substance use by adolescents. We propose exploration of the neurocognitive precursors of early substance use, hypothesizing that particular neurocognitive characteristics will predict adolescent drug-use trajectories. We target exploration of prefrontal cortex (PFC) function, as the PFC is notable for its prolonged period of postnatal maturation and for its involvement in decision-making, self-regulation, and impulsivity -- traits common to adolescents and to substance users. This 5-year investigation, designed as a multicohort observational longitudinal project, proposes the following specific aims: 1) to map the developmental trajectory of prefrontally-mediated cognitive functions; 2) to examine the relation between laboratory measures of prefrontal cognitive functions and measures of impulsivity, and to map the developmental trajectory of impulsivity; and 3) to investigate the role of prefrontal cortex function and impulsivity in early drug use and in various adolescent drug-use trajectories. In an urban, mixed socioeconomic status sample, three groups of 175 subjects will be enrolled at the following ages 10, 11, and 12 years, for a total of 525 subjects. Each group will be followed for 5 years. On four occasions subjects will be administered a battery of neuro-cognitive tasks and measures of impulsivity, will complete an assessment of risk behaviors, a self-assessment for pubertal stage, and provide a urine sample for drug screening. The major data analysis strategy will use mixture models to calculate differential trajectories of development of the prefrontal cortex and impulsivity as well as drug use initiation. At project end we anticipate improved understanding of the neurocognitive precursors of adolescent drug use. This, in turn, will provide an infrastructure for developing prevention strategies.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01DA018913-03
Application #
7120046
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZDA1-MXG-S (05))
Program Officer
Lynch, Minda
Project Start
2004-09-30
Project End
2009-08-31
Budget Start
2006-09-01
Budget End
2007-08-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2006
Total Cost
$599,496
Indirect Cost
Name
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Department
Type
DUNS #
073757627
City
Philadelphia
State
PA
Country
United States
Zip Code
19104
Khurana, Atika; Romer, Daniel; Betancourt, Laura M et al. (2018) Modeling Trajectories of Sensation Seeking and Impulsivity Dimensions from Early to Late Adolescence: Universal Trends or Distinct Sub-groups? J Youth Adolesc 47:1992-2005
Khurana, Atika; Romer, Daniel; Betancourt, Laura M et al. (2017) Working memory ability and early drug use progression as predictors of adolescent substance use disorders. Addiction 112:1220-1228
Khurana, Atika; Romer, Daniel; Betancourt, Laura M et al. (2015) Experimentation versus progression in adolescent drug use: A test of an emerging neurobehavioral imbalance model. Dev Psychopathol 27:901-13
Khurana, Atika; Romer, Daniel; Betancourt, Laura M et al. (2015) Stronger Working Memory Reduces Sexual Risk Taking in Adolescents, Even After Controlling for Parental Influences. Child Dev 86:1125-1141
Hackman, Daniel A; Betancourt, Laura M; Gallop, Robert et al. (2014) Mapping the trajectory of socioeconomic disparity in working memory: parental and neighborhood factors. Child Dev 85:1433-45
Khurana, Atika; Romer, Dan; Betancourt, Laura M et al. (2013) Working memory ability predicts trajectories of early alcohol use in adolescents: the mediational role of impulsivity. Addiction 108:506-15
Betancourt, Laura M; Brodsky, Nancy L; Brown, Caitlin A et al. (2012) Is executive cognitive function associated with youth gambling? J Gambl Stud 28:225-38
Giannetta, Mariel M; Betancourt, Laura M; Brodsky, Nancy L et al. (2012) Suicidal ideation and self-harm behavior in a community sample of preadolescent youth: a case-control study. J Adolesc Health 50:524-6
Khurana, Atika; Romer, Daniel; Betancourt, Laura M et al. (2012) Early adolescent sexual debut: the mediating role of working memory ability, sensation seeking, and impulsivity. Dev Psychol 48:1416-28
Gillihan, Seth J; Xia, Chenjie; Padon, Alisa A et al. (2011) Contrasting roles for lateral and ventromedial prefrontal cortex in transient and dispositional affective experience. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 6:128-37

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