Although most adults who drink begin experimenting with alcohol as teenagers, relatively little is known about alcohol’s effects in adolescence, a critical phase of brain development that is characterized by accelerated neural maturation, dendritic pruning, and increased myelination, particularly in the hippocampal and frontal regions (Gogtay et al., 2004; Sowell et al., 2004). Additional research into the effects of drinking during this important transition period is warranted.
