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Neurobiological and Cognitive Profile of Young Binge Drinkers: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

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Abstract

This review provides the first systematic and quantitative synthesis of the literature examining the relationship between binge drinking, cognition, brain structure and function in youth aged 10 to 24 years. PubMed, EMBASE, Medline, PsychINFO and ProQuest were searched for neuroimaging, neurophysiological, and neuropsychological studies. A total of 58 studies (21 neuroimaging, 16 neurophysiological, 21 neuropsychological) met the eligibility criteria and were included in the review. Overall, abnormal or delayed development of key frontal executive-control regions may predispose youth to binge drink. These abnormalities appear to be further exacerbated by the uptake of binge drinking, in addition to alcohol-related neural aberrations in reward-seeking and incentive salience regions, indexed by cognitive deficits and maladaptive alcohol associations. A meta-analysis of neuropsychological correlates identified that binge drinking in youth was associated with a small overall neurocognitive deficit (g = −0.26) and specific deficits in decision-making (g = −1.70), and inhibition (g = −0.39). Using the Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) Evidence Profile, the certainty in outcomes ranged from very low to low. Future prospective longitudinal studies should address concomitant factors, exposure thresholds, and age-related vulnerabilities of binge drinking, as well as the degree of recovery following discontinuation of use.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the authors of selected included studies who were contacted to provide additional data for the meta-analysis.

Funding

This work was supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council (GNT1169377); and the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (K23 AA025399).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia

    Briana Lees, Lexine A. Stapinski & Maree Teesson

  2. Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2031, Australia

    Louise Mewton

  3. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA

    Lindsay M. Squeglia

  4. Neuroscience Research Australia, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2031, Australia

    Caroline D. Rae

  5. School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia

    Caroline D. Rae

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  1. Briana Lees
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  4. Lindsay M. Squeglia
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Contributions

BL conceptualised the study and is the guarantor of the review; BL, LM, LS and MT developed the study design; BL and LM completed the screening process; BL conducted the narrative synthesis, meta-analysis and quality assessment; BL, LM, LS, LMS, CR and MT provided input on data interpretation; BL drafted the manuscript; LM, LS, LMS, CR and MT read, revised and approved the final version of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Briana Lees.

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Lees, B., Mewton, L., Stapinski, L.A. et al. Neurobiological and Cognitive Profile of Young Binge Drinkers: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Neuropsychol Rev 29, 357–385 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11065-019-09411-w

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