McQueeny et al. (2009) compared AU youth (defined as youth who had at least one binge drinking episode in the past 3 months; n = 14, ages 16–19) with a sample of non-AU youth (youth without a binge drinking history; n = 14, matched for age, gender and level of education, and statistically similar across other demographic measures). AU youth had lower FA than non-AU youth across 18 WM clusters, including the corpus callosum, superior longitudinal fasciculus, corona radiata, internal and external capsules, and commissural, limbic, brainstem and cortical projection fibres. Reflecting dose-dependent differences, lower FA across six of these regions was associated with greater hangover symptoms and higher estimated peak blood alcohol concentrations (BAC). Specifically, greater hangover symptoms were associated with more compromised WM in the corpus callosum, anterior corona radiata and inferior peduncle. Higher peak BAC was correlated with poorer fibre tract quality across the corpus callosum, internal/external capsules, and posterior corona radiata. The authors interpreted these data to suggest that high-risk drinking (high quantity and/or greater hangover symptoms) may represent an estimate of adverse impact upon WM
