How teen and young adult drinking affects the developing brain
NCANDA Research Project Site: Duke
Following teens and young adults over time to learn how heavy drinking during adolescence changes brain growth, thinking, sleep, and activity.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11112474 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be part of a group first enrolled as adolescents (about ages 12–21) who are followed over years with yearly brain scans (MRI), thinking and behavior tests, and health measures collected in person, online, and through a mobile app. The project now adds advanced brain imaging plus sleep and physical activity tracking to better capture daily functioning. Researchers compare people who began heavy drinking in adolescence with those who did not to identify which brain and cognitive changes are temporary or lasting. Duke is one of five sites contributing data from a large cohort (about 831 people) with strong long-term follow-up.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people who enrolled as adolescents or young adults (roughly ages 12–21 at initial recruitment) and can return for regular MRI scans, cognitive testing, and health tracking.
Not a fit: People who cannot undergo MRI scans or cannot commit to long-term follow-up visits and data collection are unlikely to receive direct benefit from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal brain and behavioral signs linked to teen alcohol use that help clinicians identify at-risk young people earlier and tailor prevention or treatment.
How similar studies have performed: Other long-term cohorts have tied adolescent drinking to brain and cognitive changes, but NCANDA's large sample, high retention, and advanced imaging make its findings more robust and comprehensive.
Where this research is happening
Durham, United States
- Duke University — Durham, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Goldston, David B. — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Goldston, David B.
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.