How alcohol use in the teen years affects the brain into adulthood
National Consortium on Alcohol and NeuroDevelopment in Adolescence (NCANDA): Administrative Resource
Following teens and young adults to track how early alcohol use affects their brain, thinking, sleep, and daily activity.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| 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-11112536 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This consortium follows a community sample recruited at ages 12–21 and now tracks participants into young adulthood to see how alcohol use relates to brain and behavior. Participants complete yearly brain scans (MRI, DTI, fMRI), cognitive and clinical tests, questionnaires, and sometimes remote visits through a mobile app. New work adds advanced imaging plus sleep and physical activity tracking with wearables to better capture daily-life effects. A coordinating center at UCSD organizes data across five U.S. sites so researchers can link drinking patterns to changes from adolescence into the 20s and early 30s.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are adolescents and young adults (originally recruited at ages 12–21 and currently followed into their late 20s/early 30s) who are willing to undergo brain scans, cognitive testing, and periodic follow-up in person or remotely.
Not a fit: People outside the study's age range or those seeking immediate clinical treatment for alcohol use disorder rather than research participation are unlikely to gain direct benefit from joining.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could pinpoint early brain changes tied to teen drinking to guide prevention and targeted treatment for young people at risk.
How similar studies have performed: Other long-term imaging cohorts have successfully linked adolescent drinking patterns with brain and cognitive differences, so this continues an established research approach.
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.