Existing Neuroanatomical Differences Associated with Substance Use in Children

THURSDAY, Jan. 9, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Preexisting neuroanatomical variability is associated with substance use initiation in children younger than 15 years, according to a study published online Dec. 30 in JAMA Network Open.

Dr. Alex P. Miller and his team from the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis investigated the neuroanatomical characteristics linked to the early onset of substance use. They aimed to determine how these associations might indicate a preexisting vulnerability. Their cohort study utilized data collected from the baseline and followed participants for three years. The analysis included information from 9,804 children, with 35.3 percent of them reporting that they began using substances before turning 15.

The study found a correlation between the onset of substance or alcohol use and a reduced thickness of the cortex in prefrontal areas (such as the rostral middle frontal gyrus, β