How alcohol affects the teen and young adult brain
National Consortium on Alcohol and Neurodevelopment in Adolescence (NCANDA): San Diego Research Project Site
Following teens and young adults over time to track how heavy drinking during adolescence changes brain growth, sleep, activity, and thinking.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11112517 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This program follows a community group of adolescents and young adults who were mostly no-to-low drinkers at enrollment and tracks their alcohol use and brain development over years. Participants complete regular in-person and remote visits that include brain scans (MRI, DTI, resting and task fMRI), cognitive and clinical tests, behavioral surveys, biological samples, and mobile app-based sleep and activity tracking. The San Diego site is one of five NCANDA collection sites and builds on an existing cohort with very high retention. New advanced imaging and wearable monitoring are being added to better link drinking patterns with changes in brain systems and daily functioning.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Teens and young adults roughly aged 12–21, including both those who drink heavily and those who drink little or not at all, are the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People older than the early-adult age range or those unwilling or unable to undergo MRI scans, provide biological samples, or participate in long-term follow-up are unlikely to benefit directly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could clarify how adolescent drinking harms brain development and guide better prevention and treatment strategies for young people.
How similar studies have performed: This project extends the NCANDA cohort that has already followed participants for eight years with ~93% retention and published findings linking adolescent alcohol use to altered neurodevelopment.
Where this research is happening
La Jolla, United States
- University of California, San Diego — La Jolla, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tapert, Susan F. — University of California, San Diego
- Study coordinator: Tapert, Susan F.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.