Our group is currently conducting longitudinal studies of adolescent substance users as well as youth at risk for substance problems due to family history or early conduct disorder (minimal use at the time of the first imaging session). Follow-up scan data, already underway, will elucidate if substance use during the follow-up interval predicts changes in brain functioning. These investigations will ascertain if: (1) substance (alcohol and marijuana, predominantly, given sample characteristics) use during adolescence seems to cause detrimental changes in neurodevelopment, or if (2) substance use does not account for the differences, the previously observed differences would likely represent pre-existing markers of risk for heavy substance use during adolescence.
