Overall, our findings of reduced FA suggest possible myelination alterations in brain regions developing during adolescence, and underscore the impact of the effects of alcohol on white matter maturation during adolescence. Our more recent findings indicate that even subtle binge drinking behaviors can have a substantial impact on tissue development, as adolescents with both alcohol use disorders as well as less frequent or new-onset binge drinking habits were found to have altered white matter integrity. Future studies will follow these cohorts over the adolescent years to see if changes in substance use are followed by changes in indices of white matter quality.
