Summary: New research shows that lower sustained attention in adolescence can predict a higher likelihood of cigarette and cannabis use by young adulthood. The study, which analyzed brain imaging data from over 1,000 participants, found that reduced attention at age 14 was linked to increased substance use by age 23.
This suggests that attention deficits could serve as early biomarkers for identifying individuals at risk for substance abuse. The findings may help inform targeted interventions aimed at improving attention in vulnerable adolescents, potentially reducing future substance use.
Key Facts:
- Lower attention ability at age 14 predicts increased substance use by age 23.
- Brain imaging data from 1,000 participants revealed this link over time.
- Early interventions to improve attention could help reduce substance abuse risks.
Source: TCD
Lower attention ability in adolescence can predict cigarette and cannabis use in young adulthood, according to new research from Trinity College Dublin.
Sustained attention, the ability to maintain focus on a task over time, is an important cognitive ability. Substance use, particularly cigarettes and cannabis, has previously been linked to impairments in sustained attention. But it was unclear if poor sustained attention preceded substance use or was a consequence of substance use.
The research, published in the peer-reviewed journal eLife, found for the first time that lower sustained attention and related brain network activity at age 14 predicted a larger increase in cigarette and cannabis use by age 23.
The study, undertaken by researchers in Trinity’s School of Psychology and School of Medicine, suggests that sustained attention and associated brain activity could be used as early biomarkers for vulnerability to substance use.
The research involved the analysis of brain imaging data from over 1,000 participants in the IMAGEN study, obtained at ages 14, 19, and 23 years.
Robert Whelan, Professor in Psychology, who led the research team, explained: “The widespread use of cigarette and cannabis among adolescents and young adults in Ireland and elsewhere is a significant public health concern, with major long-term health implications.”
“By identifying lower sustained attention as a predictor of substance use, our findings can potentially guide the development of targeted educational programmes and cognitive training interventions to improve attention in adolescents identified as vulnerable to substance use.
“This proactive approach could reduce substance abuse risks, improve individual lives, and lessen societal burdens related to addiction.”
About this attention and substance abuse research news
Author: Fiona Tyrrell
Source: TCD
Contact: Fiona Tyrrell – TCD
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News
Original Research: Open access.
“A robust brain network for sustained attention from adolescence to adulthood that predicts later substance use” by Robert Whelan et al. eLife
Abstract
A robust brain network for sustained attention from adolescence to adulthood that predicts later substance use
Substance use, including cigarettes and cannabis, is associated with poorer sustained attention in late adolescence and early adulthood.
Previous studies were predominantly cross-sectional or under-powered and could not indicate if impairment in sustained attention was a predictor of substance use or a marker of the inclination to engage in such behavior.
This study explored the relationship between sustained attention and substance use across a longitudinal span from ages 14 to 23 in over 1000 participants.
Behaviors and brain connectivity associated with diminished sustained attention at age 14 predicted subsequent increases in cannabis and cigarette smoking, establishing sustained attention as a robust biomarker for vulnerability to substance use.
Individual differences in network strength relevant to sustained attention were preserved across developmental stages and sustained attention networks generalized to participants in an external dataset.
In summary, brain networks of sustained attention are robust, consistent, and able to predict aspects of later substance use.
