Tapert et al. (2004b). This study evaluated spatial working memory (SWM) in 15 AU youth (defined as youth with AUDs; 5 females) and 19 non-AU youth (youth without AUDs; 8 females) ages 15–17 years. While no group differences were observed in task performance, AU youth (as compared with non-AU youth), showed higher levels of BOLD signal during the SWM task relative to the vigilance task bilaterally in the precuneus and superior parietal lobule. AU youth showed less BOLD activity relative to non-AU youth in the left precentral gyrus, left inferior temporal and fusiform gyri, right mesial inferior precuneus, right cuneus extending into middle occipital gyrus, left superior occipital gyrus, left middle/occipital/lingual/fusiform gyri and bilateral cerebellum. These findings suggest that AU youth show alterations in brain activity during SWM, despite their task performance remaining within the normal range. This means that AU youth engaged more task-irrelevant regions (prefrontal and temporal), rather than the more task-relevant regions observed for non-AU youth (middle frontal and cerebellar). In addition, greater drinks consumed and greater withdrawal/hangover symptoms were associated with greater BOLD response, while lifetime
