Under 18, no alcohol. In spite of this slogan, adolescents still have access to alcohol. But how harmful is that one beer for the adolescent brain? Research, including in Leiden, may provide the ...

The adolescent brain is built to learn, and during this period areas critical in learning and memory, such as the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, have high levels of plasticity and are easily ...

Those who grew up when Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) pamphlets were common in the school counselor's office are probably familiar with the “gateway drug” theory, which suggests the use of ...

A study of nearly 10,000 adolescents funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has identified distinct differences in the brain structures of those who used substances before age 15 compared ...

While it is common for people to try alcohol in adolescence, alcohol use in teens can be detrimental to health and may affect brain development and mental health. While teens usually drink less often ...

In the class of things that happen so often or predictably as to become truisms are the high-risk activities that teenagers frequently engage in, like driving too fast, using alcohol or drugs, ...

Until recently, the prevailing belief was that brain development ceased at around the time a child entered kindergarten (i.e., that the brain is 90-95% formed by age six). However, recent findings ...

As Houston-area families gear up for spring break, experts are sounding the alarm: the combination of free time and teen loneliness can be a dangerous mix.