How teen drinking affects thinking and behavior in ADHD
ADHD and the influence of adolescent alcohol drinking on cognition and behavior
Researchers are using a genetic mouse model to learn how alcohol exposure during the teen years might worsen attention, self-control, and later drinking problems in people with ADHD.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Lsu Health Sciences Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Orleans, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11123397 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project uses mice that carry a gene change linked to ADHD (the Lphn3 knockout) to model ADHD-related brain differences. Investigators will give alcohol to adolescent mice, measure their drinking behavior, and test memory and impulse control as the animals mature. They will examine the frontal cortex — a brain region important for planning and self-control — to see whether teen drinking accelerates harmful changes. Findings will link brain changes to lasting behavior differences that could explain higher risk of alcohol problems in people with ADHD.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with ADHD who drank heavily as teenagers or are concerned about adolescent drinking increasing later alcohol problems would be most relevant to this research.
Not a fit: People without ADHD or those who never drank during adolescence are unlikely to see direct benefits from this mouse-focused project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could clarify why teens with ADHD are more vulnerable to heavy drinking and suggest ways to prevent or treat long-term problems.
How similar studies have performed: Epidemiological and animal studies have linked ADHD with higher alcohol use and shown that adolescent drinking harms frontal cortex development, but using the Lphn3 knockout specifically to study these effects is a relatively new approach.
Where this research is happening
New Orleans, United States
- Lsu Health Sciences Center — New Orleans, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Salling, Michael Charles — Lsu Health Sciences Center
- Study coordinator: Salling, Michael Charles
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.