In adolescence, the initiation of harmful drinking patterns may pose a risk for the development of AUD in adulthood. Multiple brain regions have been implicated in early engagement with alcohol use, including the hippocampus, NAcc, and PFC (for a comprehensive review see (Ewing, Sakhardande, & Blakemore, 2014)), and may be particularly at risk for the neurotoxic effects of alcohol (i.e., brain volume loss). Overall, sexual dimorphism in brain morphometry is complicated, especially when considering the effect of substances of abuse on the brain. This section will highlight what is known about SG differences in brain morphometry associated with alcohol use in adolescence and adolescent-onset AUD.
