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Steep decline in orbitofrontal cortex thickness linked to anhedonia and substance use
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
the brown university child and adolescent psychopharmacology update
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1556-7567
pISSN - 1527-8395
DOI - 10.1002/cpu.30326
Subject(s) - anhedonia , orbitofrontal cortex , pleasure , psychology , cortex (anatomy) , substance use , developmental psychology , neuroscience , clinical psychology , prefrontal cortex , cognition
Brain development — specifically in the orbitofrontal cortex — during childhood is strongly connected to anhedonia — an inability to feel pleasure. This growth trajectory predicts substance use during adolescence, researchers have found. The higher the anhedonia ratings, the steeper the decline in volume of the orbitofrontal cortex by age. Volume and thickness at age 12 and trajectory over time significantly and negatively predicted alcohol and marijuana use frequency during adolescence.