Alcohol, Psychological Dysregulation and Adolescent Brain Development

Duncan Clark, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic

March 17, 2010 @ 05:00 pm to 06:00 pm

108 Wartik Laboratory, CG623 Hershey

Dr. Clark is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Phamaceutical Sciences,_Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA._ His visit is being co-sponsored by the Prevention Research Center (PRC) at Penn State University. Summary This presentation will discuss a conceptual framework and recent research on adolescent brain development and alcohol use disorders (AUD). Influenced by genetic and environmental factors, the developmental trajectory toward AUD begins with the emergence of childhood psychological dysregulation. Deficits or delays in the development of the prefrontal cortex, limbic system areas, and related white matter may underlie AUD liability. While brain areas serving cognitive, behavioral and emotional regulation may be particularly vulnerable, the demonstration of alcohol effects on human adolescent brain development has proven challenging. Dr. Clark will describe some of the obstacles and opportunities in applying contemporary neuroimaging techniques to understanding adolescent neurodevelopment and alcohol involvement. Brief Biography Dr. Clark was trained in clinical psychology at UCLA, in medicine at Harvard and in psychiatry at Stanford. He is the Director of the Pittsburgh Adolescent Alcohol Research Center at WPIC. Dr. Clark and his colleagues have been conducting research on the etiology, course and outcomes of adolescent substance abuse and dependence for 20 years. In research funded by NIAAA and NIDA, PAARC has utilized a comprehensive array of approaches, including neuroimaging, genetics, preventive interventions, clinical trials, and long-term prospective longitudinal outcome research.

Contact

Steven Wilson
sjw42@psu.edu
814-865-6219