Heavy Drinking in Adolescence May Change Brain Development

Heavy drinking as a teenager may change brain development, affecting areas involved in judgment, social skills and decision-making, according to a study.

Researchers determined that teenagers scored worse on a battery of psychological tests if they were diagnosed with substance abuse or dependence, compared with nonabusing teens, according to a study in the journal Alcoholism. The study also found that the adolescents who used marijuana had significantly poorer memory than those who didn’t.