Cortical thinning in young adults with history of heavy drinking since adolescence is linked to altered neurotransmission

During adolescence, the brain undergoes intense development and is especially at risk of the deleterious effects of alcohol use.  Based on findings from a recent follow-up study in Finland, young adults whose heavy drinking began in adolescence have lower cortical gray matter thickness and altered neurotransmission. The findings were published in Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research.

Previous research has shown that repeated binge drinking in adolescence is related to changes within the central nervous system in maturity, including lower gray matter volume and greater inhibitory neurotransmission. The current study is the primary to explore the association between gray matter thickness and neurotransmission.

The study included 26 young adults who had a history of heavy drinking, in addition to 21 controls who consumed little or no alcohol in any respect. The study participants were followed for 10 years, from the age of 13-18 until across the age of 25. Changes in gray matter volume were measured from magnetic resonance images of the brain, and cortical activity was measured using simultaneous transcranial magnetic stimulation and electroencephalography (TMS-EEG).

In adolescents with a history of heavy drinking, the researchers observed lower mean gray matter thickness in several regions of the brain, in addition to a greater mean N45 potential, in comparison to adolescents who consumed little or no alcohol in any respect. The N45 potential is reflective of the activity of the inhibitory GABA and the excitatory glutamate neurotransmitter systems. Within the heavy-drinking group, lower gray matter thickness was related to an increased N45 potential, especially within the frontal and parietal lobes.

Based on the researchers, the outcomes indicate that the thinning of the cerebral cortex observed in young adults with a history of heavy drinking since adolescence is related to altered neurotransmission, especially within the frontal and parietal lobes. Nevertheless, further research is required to evaluate the mechanisms underlying these findings.https://www.uef.fi/en/article/cortical-thinning-is-associated-with-altered-neurotransmission-in-young-adults-with-a-history-of