Project 460218

Two thirds of Canadian youth (15-25 years) are active drinkers. This is concerning considering youth drinking - and particularly, frequent, or risky drinking (consumption of >4 drinks (women) or >5 drinks (men) on one occasion) - is associated with poorer brain functioning, which persists beyond acute alcohol intoxication. In turn, this poorer brain functioning has been linked to worse outcomes including poorer academic performance and work capacity. Despite these implications, we do not know whether youth with certain cognitive profiles are at increased risk of drinking or whether youth drinking leads to poorer brain function. Clarifying this developmental sequence will allow for the identification of youth most at risk of alcohol use and neurocognitive problems, which will in turn help to better-inform policy, treatment, and prevention programs. This study will benefit from 25+ years of data collected from the first birth cohort of the Québec Longitudinal Study of Child Development (N=240; born in 1996/7), to examine associations between drinking and brain function across youth, a key population identified as a priority research area by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Namely, this proposal will examine the bidirectional relationship between alcohol use (alone and in the context of other substance use) and neurocognitive function, and whether this association differs according to sex, gender and sexual orientation. Importantly, this study will also account for influential factors associated with drinking and neurocognition, including brain function prior to drinking and substance use onset, as well as psychological (e.g., mental health) and family factors (e.g., history of substance use). Finally, the current study will also bridge gaps in knowledge translation by engaging youth, adults (e.g., parents, teachers), knowledge users, and community partners to develop and disseminate engaging psychoeducational materials.