The Impact of Drugs on the Teenage Brain

This post was coauthored by Gabriella P. Oettinger and Juan M. Dominguez, Ph.D.

As we begin the new school year, the importance of understanding the challenges and risks that students face becomes particularly pressing. Amid these challenges, illegal substance use remains a serious issue, especially given its impact on the developing teenage brain.

This summer, my laboratory at the University of Texas at Austin welcomed a bright high school student as a volunteer. Members of my lab are interested in how hormones act in the brain to influence response to drugs of abuse. This student was engaged in primarily archival research on this topic.

During her time with us, I assigned her a recently published review article on the potential effects of various drugs on the developing teenage brain [1]. Given her aptitude and enthusiasm, I expected her to find the article accessible. However, while she understood and processed most of the material, she struggled with some of the more complex aspects of the paper. It then dawned on me that even highly capable teenagers might find it challenging to capture such crucial information about drugs and the teenage brain.

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The teenage years are a time of significant brain development, and understanding how drug abuse might impact this process is important for young people, not just brain scientists. This recognition led to the collaborative project presented below, where we coauthored this entry, hoping to make some of the science behind drug effects on the teenage brain more accessible from the standpoint of a teenage student. In this piece, we discuss key points from the review article and explore how different substances can affect the brain during this critical stage of development. It is our hope that this entry will reach the most relevant audience for this topic: teenagers.

In 2022, over 70 million teenagers reported using some form of illegal drug. By 2023, more than 30 percent of high school seniors admitted to using drugs in the past year. The immediate dangers of substance use are well-known, but for teenagers, the risks extend beyond the immediate. The teenage brain is in a crucial stage of development, making it particularly susceptible to the potential long-term impacts of drugs.

As many teenagers may have heard from their parents, drug use is especially dangerous during these years because the brain is still developing. Unfortunately, as much as teenagers don’t want to hear it, this isn’t just parental advice; it’s the reality. This has real implications for the long-term health and well-being of young people. The brain is constantly changing during adolescence, making teenagers more susceptible to the effects of drugs.

Substance use disorder is characterized by three main features: a compulsion to take the drug, an inability to control intake, and the emergence of negative emotions when not using the drug. Drug addiction includes both impulsive and compulsive behaviors; impulsive disorders are marked by tension and excitement before acting, while compulsive disorders involve anxiety and relief after the act. The transition from impulsive to compulsive drug-taking characterizes a shift from a positive to a negative drive for substance use, a pattern that has both a significant social and economic cost. Drug addiction literally changes the brain’s pathways, and these changes don’t just disappear when someone stops using drugs.

Teenagers are particularly vulnerable to drugs for several reasons.

One key area of the brain that isn’t fully developed during the teenage years is the frontal lobe, which is responsible for rational decision-making and self-regulation. This lack of development makes it harder for teenagers to control their drug use, increasing the risk of addictive disorders.

The frontal lobe also helps regulate emotions, so when it is underdeveloped, teenagers may struggle while coping with stress and are more likely to turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms like drug use. In addition, while most teenagers understand the short-term dangers of drug use, such as alcohol poisoning, lung damage from smoking, or the risk of overdosing, many of them are less aware of the long-term effects. Drugs can effectively alter the developing brain, affecting not only the likelihood of drug abuse but also other aspects of mental and physical health into adulthood.

While the ways that drugs affect the teenage brain is still a topic of great interest to many behavioral neuroscientists who study it to this day, we already have significant insight into the changes that can be impacted by drugs in this stage of development. The teenage brain is still developing, and this rapid process continues until the mid-20s, when it experiences a significant slowdown.

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During adolescence, the brain’s neural pathways are not fully developed. This can make the integration of reward stimuli stronger, meaning that, on average, emotions and drug effects are felt more strongly by teenagers than by adults. This increased intensity can make teenagers more susceptible to addiction.

The brain’s reward pathways, which encourage the repetition of activities that provide pleasure (reinforcement), are also very sensitive during adolescence. When drugs disrupt the balance of neurotransmitters, the brain starts to reroute these pathways to reward drug use, leading to a cycle of dependence and abuse.

While most drugs act in the same brain reward systems, the specific changes and effects may be different. The following includes a general description of the effects of some of the more widely used drugs in teenagers.

Nicotine: Research shows that teenagers find nicotine more pleasurable than adults. Nicotine binds to receptors in the brain, triggering the release of dopamine, which creates a sensation of feeling good. Over time, the brain creates more of these receptors, leading to cravings and dependence. The developing reward system in teenagers makes them particularly vulnerable to nicotine addiction.

Cannabis: Teens’ brains react differently to cannabis compared to adults. While adults may experience heightened anxiety and reduced movement after using cannabis, teenagers are less affected by these aversive effects, leading to increased use. This increased use can have effects on memory, cognition, and IQ. Additionally, early cannabis use has been linked to greater sensitivity to other drugs, like cocaine, later in life.

Alcohol: Adolescents metabolize alcohol faster than adults, meaning it leaves their system quicker. However, drinking alcohol during adolescence can negatively impact the development of the hippocampus, the brain region responsible for memory formation. Teens are also more sensitive to the rewarding effects of alcohol, which increases the risk of binge drinking and addiction.

Cocaine: Cocaine creates a surge of neurotransmitters like dopamine, leading to a short-lived high followed by a crash. Teenagers are less sensitive to cocaine’s effects than adults, but their sensitive reward system makes them more prone to addiction. The impulsive decision-making, which is common in teenagers, is worsened by cocaine use and can lead to immediate dangers and long-term damage to the brain.

Opioids: Opioids are particularly dangerous due to their high risk of addiction and overdose. Teenagers exhibit greater levels of sensitization to opioids, leading to a quicker development of dependence. The combination of a developing reward system and greater sensitization to opioids makes teenagers more likely to engage in drug-seeking behaviors, increasing the risk of addiction and overdose.

In summary, being a teenager comes with a multitude of new experiences, challenges, and responsibilities. The brain is in a crucial stage of development, adapting to new physical, social, and academic situations. However, this growth also makes teenagers more vulnerable to the effects of substances. The part of the brain responsible for impulse control and decision-making isn’t fully mature, which can lead to risky behaviors and poor decision-making. Understanding the potential effects of drug use on the developing brain is essential to help educate those who are most susceptible and for preventing substance use disorder, thereby promoting long-term health.