Amygdala Volume and Depression Symptoms in Young Adolescents Who Use Cannabis.

INTRODUCTION: Both cannabis use and depressive symptomology increase in prevalence throughout adolescence. Concurrently, the brain is undergoing neurodevelopment in important limbic regions, such as the amygdala. Prior research indicates the amygdala may also be related to cannabis use and depressive symptoms. We aimed to investigate the effects of adolescent cannabis use on amygdala volumes as well as the interaction of cannabis use and amygdala morphometry on depressive symptoms in youth. METHOD: Two-hundred-twenty-four participants (ages 12-15), balanced by sex assigned at birth, were selected from a sub-sample of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study based on hair toxicology and self-report measures of cannabis use. Participants positive for cannabinoids in hair and/or self-reported cannabis use were demographically matched to youth with no self-reported or confirmed cannabis use. The guardians of these youth reported depression symptoms on the Child Behavioral Checklist. Linear mixed effect models were run investigating cannabis use group on amygdala volumes bilaterally, controlling for whole brain volume and random effects of scanner type. Additional analyses examined cannabis group status and bilateral amygdala volume on depression symptoms. RESULTS: Cannabis use was not significantly associated with amygdala volume but was associated with increased depressive symptoms (p<0.01). Cannabis group interacted with amygdala volume, such that individuals with smaller volumes had increased depressive symptoms within the cannabis group (p's<0.01-0.02). CONCLUSION: Aberrations in amygdala volume based on cannabis use were not found in early adolescence; however, more depressive symptoms were related to cannabis group. Youth who use cannabis and have smaller amygdala volumes were at increased risk for depressive symptomology, suggesting potential neurovulnerabilities to cannabis use.

A preliminary investigation of physical and mental health features of cannabis & nicotine co-use among adolescents and young adults by sex.

INTRODUCTION: Cannabis and nicotine/tobacco products (NTP) are commonly co-used in adolescence and young adulthood; however, limited research has been done on predictive health behaviors to co-use. The current study is a preliminary investigation into the relationships of modifiable health behaviors on cannabis and NTP co-use in adolescents and young adults. METHOD: 221 participants (ages 16-22) were characterized into cannabis use only (N = 55), NTP use only (N = 20), cannabis and NTP co-use (used cannabis and NTP; N = 96) and control (no use; N = 50) groups based on past 30-day use. Self-report measures for physical activity, sleep quality, mental health, and reward responsivity were utilized. Participants were given a comprehensive neurocognitive battery. Logistic regressions of self-report measures and fluid intelligence composite scores on substance use group status were run stratified by sex. RESULTS: Higher approach reward sensitivity traits were associated with increased likelihood of cannabis use only (Odds Ratio (OR) = 1.15, p = .036) in female participants. Increased aerobic activity was associated with decreased likelihood of cannabis use only (OR = 0.91, p = .047) and cannabis and NTP co-use (OR = 0.88, p = .007) in female participants. Higher anxiety was associated with increased likelihood of cannabis NTP co-use (OR = 1.51, p = 0.025) in male participants. DISCUSSION: Several health behaviors were linked with cannabis use and cannabis and NTP co-use in both females and male adolescents and young adults. Health markers differed by sex suggesting differing mechanisms of substance co-use. This study informs targetable health behaviors for prevention and intervention efforts.

Commercial Cannabidiol for Community-Based Young Adolescents: Predicting Medicinal Use.

Objectives: Cannabidiol (CBD) is rising in popularity, including as a potential medicinal product. Yet data on use of commercial CBD for medicinal or health reasons in adolescents are lacking. In this study we aim to detail characteristics of adolescents given commercial CBD for health reasons (health CBD [hCBD]) and to investigate predictors of use. Materials and Methods: The Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study is a population-based cohort study following U.S. healthy, community-based adolescents annually, with data from 2018 to 2022 (11- to 15-year-olds; N=11,189). Participants and caregivers completed questionnaires, including whether adolescents were given CBD with parent or doctor's permission. Participants reported past-month pain, attention problems, externalizing symptoms, internalizing symptoms, and total mental health problems. Caregivers reported youth sociodemographics, sleep problems, whether the youth had mental health treatment or sought medical treatment, and rules about recreational cannabis use. We describe youth given hCBD, and run generalized estimating equations predicting odd ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals of adolescents given hCBD by mental health, physical health, or sociodemographics of factors. Results: Of the 11,189 participants across up to three waves of data, 48% were female. Mean age across waves was 12.8 years old (SD=1). In total, 307 (2.8%) were given hCBD. Common administration methods were oil (42%), topical (31%), and edibles (29%). Increased hCBD odds were associated with being older (OR=1.32 [1.17-1.49]), White (relative to Black, OR=05.97 [2.81-12.65] or Hispanic, OR=1.82 [1.17-2.82]), parents with some college (relative to no high school diploma, OR=3.55 [1.09-11.6]), internalizing symptoms (OR=1.81 [1.13-2.91]), mental health treatment (OR=1.76 [1.3-2.38]), pain (OR=1.38 [1.09-1.76]), medical treatment (OR=1.39 [1.08-1.79]), and sleep problems (OR=1.69 [1.27-2.25]). Rules against recreational cannabis decreased odds of hCBD (OR=1.75 [1.30-2.36]). Conclusions: Findings indicate some healthy adolescents are given hCBD, and predictors of use include mental and physical health concerns, being White, older, and parents with some college education. Providers should ask if their youth patients are being given CBD medicinally, and transparently discuss potential benefits, consequences, and unknowns of CBD.

Childhood adversity is associated with reduced BOLD response in inhibitory control regions amongst preadolescents from the ABCD study.

Adolescence is characterized by dynamic neurodevelopment, which poses opportunities for risk and resilience. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) confer additional risk to the developing brain, where ACEs have been associated with alterations in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) BOLD signaling in brain regions underlying inhibitory control. Socioenvironmental factors like the family environment may amplify or buffer against the neurodevelopmental risks associated with ACEs. Using baseline to Year 2 follow-up data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, the current study examined how ACEs relate to fMRI BOLD signaling during successful inhibition on the Stop Signal Task in regions associated with inhibitory control and examined whether family conflict levels moderated that relationship. Results showed that greater ACEs were associated with reduced BOLD response in the right opercular region of the inferior frontal gyrus and bilaterally in the pre-supplementary motor area, which are key regions underlying inhibitory control. Further, greater BOLD response was correlated with less impulsivity behaviorally, suggesting reduced activation may not be behaviorally adaptive at this age. No significant two or three-way interactions with family conflict levels or time were found. Findings highlight the continued utility of examining the relationship between ACEs and neurodevelopmental outcomes and the importance of intervention/prevention of ACES.

Investigating sex differences and age of onset in emotion regulation, executive functioning, and cannabis use in adolescents and young adults.

BACKGROUND: Young adults have historically high levels of cannabis use at a time which coincides with emotional and cognitive development. Age of regular onset of cannabis use and sex at birth are hypothesized to influence the relationship between cannabis use and cognition. Here we investigated past 6-month cannabis use in relation to emotional and executive functioning. We further considered age of onset and sex in subgroup analyses. METHOD: Young adults (N = 225; ages 16-22) completed a substance use interview and cognitive battery, including the Emotional Word-Emotional Face Stroop and NIH toolbox executive functioning tasks. Linear regressions examined relationships between past 6-month cannabis use episodes and performance. Subgroup analyses investigated whether age of onset or sex impacted relationships. RESULTS: After correcting for multiple comparisons, greater past 6-month cannabis use episodes were related to poorer Emotional Stroop Congruent Accuracy (p = .0004, FDR-p = .002) and List Sorting Working Memory (p = .02, FDR-p = .10) performance. Younger age of regular use onset marginally related to lower Emotional Stroop Congruent Accuracy performance (p = .03, FDR-p = .13). There were no cannabis use by sex interactions on cognition. CONCLUSIONS: Consistent with prior findings, results suggest small reductions in cannabis-related performance in processing speed during emotional Stroop and working memory tasks. Age of onset was modestly related to Stroop performance, but not sex. Longitudinal studies which detail patterns of cannabis and other substance use are needed to better assess brain-behavior relationships and other factors (e.g., age of onset of regular use, sex) which could influence cannabis-related impairments in cognitive functioning.

Neurite Orientation Dispersion and Density Imaging (NODDI) of Brain Microstructure in Adolescent Cannabis and Nicotine Use.

INTRODUCTION: Despite evidence suggesting deleterious effects of cannabis and nicotine tobacco product (NTP) use on white matter integrity, there have been limited studies examining white matter integrity among users of both cannabis and nicotine. Further, updated white matter methodology provides opportunities to investigate use patterns on neurite orientation dispersion and density (NODDI) indices and subtle tissue changes related to the intra- and extra-neurite compartment. We aimed to investigate how cannabis and NTP use among adolescents and young adults interacts to impact the white matter integrity microstructure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 221 participants between the ages of 16 and 22 completed the Customary Drinking and Drug Use Record (CDDR) to measure substance use, and underwent a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) session. Participants were divided into NTP-control and NTP groupings and cannabis-control and cannabis groupings (≥26 NTP/cannabis uses in past 6 months). Tract-Based Spatial Statistics (TBSS) and two-way between-subjects ANOVA investigated the effects of NTP use group, cannabis use group, and their interaction on fractional anisotropy (FA) and NODDI indices while controlling for age and biological sex. RESULTS: NTP use was associated with decreased FA values and increased orientation dispersion in the left anterior capsule. There were no significant effects of cannabis use or the interaction of NTP and cannabis use on white matter outcomes. DISCUSSION: NTP use was associated with altered white matter integrity in an adolescent and young adult sample. Findings suggest that NTP-associated alterations may be linked to altered fiber tract geometry and dispersed neurite structures versus myelination, as well as differential effects of NTP and cannabis use on white matter structure. Future work is needed to investigate how altered white matter is related to downstream behavioral effects from NTP use.

Cannabis use and neurocognitive performance at 13-14 Years-Old: Optimizing assessment with hair toxicology in the Adolescent brain cognitive development (ABCD) study.

OBJECTIVE: Cannabis is widely used, including in early adolescence, with prevalence rates varying by measurement method (e.g., toxicology vs. self-report). Critical neurocognitive development occurs throughout adolescence. Given conflicting prior brain-behavior results in cannabis research, improved measurement of cannabis use in younger adolescents is needed. METHODS: Data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study Year 4 follow-up (participant age: 13-14 years-old) included hair samples assessed by LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS, quantifying THCCOOH (THC metabolite), THC, and cannabidiol concentrations, and the NIH Toolbox Cognitive Battery. Youth whose hair was positive for cannabinoids or reported past-year cannabis use were included in a Cannabis Use (CU) group (n = 123) and matched with non-using Controls on sociodemographics (n = 123). Standard and nested ANCOVAs assessed group status predicting cognitive performance, controlling for family relationships. Follow-up correlations assessed cannabinoid hair concentration, self-reported cannabis use, and neurocognition. RESULTS: CU scored lower on Picture Memory (p = .03) than Controls. Within the CU group, THCCOOH negatively correlated with Picture Vocabulary (r = -0.20, p = .03) and Flanker Inhibitory Control and Attention (r = -0.19, p = .04), and past-year cannabis use was negatively associated with List Sorting Working Memory (r = -0.33, p = .0002) and Picture Sequence Memory (r = -0.19, p = .04) performances. CONCLUSIONS: Youth who had used cannabis showed lower scores on an episodic memory task, and more cannabis use was linked to poorer performances on verbal, inhibitory, working memory, and episodic memory tasks. Combining hair toxicology with self-report revealed more brain-behavior relationships than self-report data alone. These youth will be followed to determine long-term substance use and neurocognition trajectories.

Hispanic/Latinx ethnic differences in the relationships between behavioral inhibition, anxiety, and substance use in youth from the ABCD cohort.

Introduction: Elevated levels of behavioral inhibition (BI) may connote risk for both anxiety and substance use disorders. BI has consistently been shown to be associated with increased levels of anxiety, while the association between BI and substance use has been mixed. It is possible that the relationship between BI and substance use varies by individual difference factors. Hispanic/Latinx (H/L) youth in particular may have stronger relationships between BI, anxiety, and substance use. Methods: The present study therefore evaluated (1) the prospective relationships between BI [assessed via self-reported behavioral inhibition system (BIS) scale scores], anxiety, and substance use in youth (n = 11,876) across baseline, 1-, and 2-year follow-ups of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study (ages 9-12) and (2) whether these relationships differed by H/L ethnicity while covarying for average behavioral approach system scores, race, sex, age, highest parental income, highest parental education, and past-year substance use (for analyses involving substance use outcomes). Results: Baseline levels of BIS scores predicted increased anxiety symptoms at both 1- and 2-year follow-ups and did not differ by H/L ethnicity. Baseline levels of BIS scores also prospectively predicted increased likelihood of substance use at 2-year follow-up, but only for H/L youth and not at 1-year follow-up. Discussion: High scores on the BIS scale contribute risk to anxiety across ethnicities and may uniquely contribute to risk for substance use in H/L youth.

Clouding Up Cognition? Secondhand Cannabis and Tobacco Exposure Related to Cognitive Functioning in Youth.

Background: Increasing legalization of cannabis, in addition to longstanding rates of tobacco use, raises concerns for possible cognitive decrements from secondhand smoke or environmental exposure, although little research exists. We investigate the relation between cognition and secondhand and environmental cannabis and tobacco exposure in youth. Methods: The Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study year 2 follow-up (N = 5580; 48% female) cognitive performance and secondhand or environmental cannabis or tobacco exposure data were used. Principal components analysis identified a global cognition factor. Linear mixed-effects models assessed global cognition and individual cognitive task performance by cannabis and/or tobacco environmental exposure. Sociodemographics and other potential confounds were examined. p values were adjusted using the false discovery rate method. Results: Global cognition was not related to any exposure group after testing corrections and considering confounds. Beyond covariates and family- and site-level factors, secondhand tobacco was related to poorer visual memory (p = .02), and environmental tobacco was associated with poorer visuospatial (p = .02) and language (p = .008) skills. Secondhand cannabis was related to cognition, but not after controlling for potential confounders (p > .05). Environmental cannabis was related to better oral reading (p = .01). Including covariates attenuated effect sizes. Conclusions: Secondhand tobacco exposure was associated with poorer visual memory, while environmental tobacco exposure was related to poorer language and visuospatial skills. Secondhand cannabis was not related to cognition after controlling for sociodemographic factors, but environmental cannabis exposure was related to better reading. Because, to our knowledge, this is the first known study of its kind and thus preliminary, secondhand cannabis should continue to be investigated to confirm results.

Stand-Biased Desks Impact on Cognition in Elementary Students Using a Within-Classroom Crossover Design.

Background: There is emerging literature that standing desk interventions may help to improve cognitive performance in school-aged children. The current study examines how desks that promote standing affect cognition over the course of a school year in third, fourth, and sixth graders. Methods: Nighty-nine students between the ages of 8 and 12 (M = 10.23; 58% Male) were assigned to either stand-biased desks or traditional sitting desks. A within-classroom design was used with students switching desks after 9 weeks. Cognitive assessments and teacher behavioral ratings were administered at baseline and readministered before students switched desks and at the conclusion of the study. Results: There were no significant effects on cognition or behavioral ratings from standing-biased desk intervention. Grade significantly moderated the relationship between stand-biased desks and cognition in that third graders showed increased cognitive control (p = 0.02, f2 = 0.06). Further, sex moderated the relationship in that females at stand-biased desks showed increased cognitive control (p = 0.03, f2 = 0.04). Conclusions: These results suggest that stand-biased desks impact cognition depending on grade and sex, indicating a complex relationship that should be teased out further in future research. Stand-biased desks showed moderate improvements in cognition and no deleterious effects, suggesting that they may be a helpful classroom intervention for children in elementary school.

Examining Inhibitory Affective Processing Within the Rostral Anterior Cingulate Cortex Among Abstinent Cannabis-Using Adolescents and Young Adults.

Cannabis use has been associated with deficits in self-regulation, including inhibitory control. Cannabis users have previously exhibited both structural and functional deficits in the rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC), a region involved in self-regulation of emotional response and inhibitory control. The present study aimed to examine whether abstinent cannabis users demonstrated abnormal functional activation and connectivity of the bilateral rACC during an emotional inhibitory processing task, and whether gender moderated these relationships. Cannabis-using (N = 34) and non-using (N = 32) participants ages 16-25 underwent at least 2-weeks of monitored substance use abstinence (excluding tobacco) and fMRI scanning while completing a Go/No-go task using fearful and calm emotional faces as non-targets. Multiple linear regression and ANCOVA were used to determine if cannabis group status was related to rACC activation and context-dependent functional connectivity, and whether gender moderated these relationships. Results showed decreased bilateral rACC activation in cannabis users during fearful response inhibition, although groups did not show any context-dependent connectivity differences between the left or right rACC during calm or fearful inhibition. Gender findings revealed that cannabis-using females compared to males did show aberrant connectivity between the right rACC and right cerebellum. These results are consistent with literature demonstrating aberrant structural and functional rACC findings and suggest that chronic cannabis use may disrupt typical rACC development-even after abstinence-potentially conferring risk for later development of mood disorders. Marginal gender-specific connectivity findings bolster continued findings regarding female vulnerability to effects of cannabis on cognition and affect. Findings should be assessed in longitudinal studies to determine causality and timing effects.

Disrupted Resting State Attentional Network Connectivity in Adolescent and Young Adult Cannabis Users following Two-Weeks of Monitored Abstinence.

BACKGROUND: Numerous neuropsychological studies have shown that cannabis use during adolescence and young adulthood led to deficits in sustained and selective attention. However, few studies have examined functional connectivity in attentional networks among young cannabis users, nor have characterized relationships with cannabis use patterns following abstinence. METHODS: Differences in resting state functional connectivity (RSFC) within the dorsal (DAN) and ventral (VAN) attention networks were examined in 36 adolescent and young adult cannabis users and 39 non-substance using controls following two weeks of monitored abstinence. Observed connectivity differences were then correlated with past-year and lifetime cannabis use, length of abstinence, age of regular use onset, and Cannabis Use Disorder symptoms (CUD). RESULTS: After controlling for alcohol and nicotine use, cannabis users had lower RSFC within the DAN network, specifically between right inferior parietal sulcus and right anterior insula, as well as white matter, relative to controls. This region was associated with more severe cannabis use measures, including increased lifetime cannabis use, shorter length of abstinence, and more severe CUD symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Findings demonstrate that regular cannabis use by adolescents and young adults is associated with subtle differences in resting state connectivity within the DAN, even after two weeks of monitored abstinence. Notably, more severe cannabis use markers (greater lifetime use, CUD symptoms, and shorter abstinence) were linked with this reduced connectivity. Thus, findings support public policy aimed at reducing and delaying cannabis use and treatments to assist with sustained abstinence. Future longitudinal studies are needed to investigate causation.

Assessment of Withdrawal, Mood, and Sleep Inventories After Monitored 3-Week Abstinence in Cannabis-Using Adolescents and Young Adults.

Introduction: Among adolescents and young adults, cannabis use is prevalent. Prior studies characterizing withdrawal effects in this age range have primarily included treatment seeking or comorbid psychiatric samples; these studies have identified several affected domains, especially sleep, mood, and anxiety. The present study compared a community (i.e., nontreatment seeking) sample of cannabis-using and control participants on mood, anxiety, sleep, and withdrawal inventories during the course of a monitored 3-week cannabis abstinence period. Materials and Methods: Seventy-nine adolescent and young adult participants (cannabis-using group=37 and control group=42) were recruited from the community to undergo 3 weeks of confirmed abstinence (i.e., urine and sweat patch toxicology) and completion of Cannabis Withdrawal Symptom Criteria, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Beck's Depression Inventory, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index across the study period. Repeated measures and cross-sectional regressions were used to examine main effects of group and interactions with time (where appropriate), while accounting for recent alcohol use and cotinine levels. Results: Cannabis-using participants reported higher mood (p=0.006), overall withdrawal (p=0.009), and sleep-related withdrawal (p<0.001) symptoms across abstinence compared to controls. Overall withdrawal severity (p=0.04) and sleep-related withdrawal symptoms (p=0.02) demonstrated a quadratic trajectory across the monitored abstinence periods, with an increase from baseline and subsequent decreases in symptom severity. No differences of anxiety scores (p=0.07) or trajectories (p=0.18) were observed. By study completion, groups did not differ among sleep quality components (all p's>.05). Conclusions: These findings revealed that nontreatment-seeking cannabis-using adolescents and young adults reported heightened total withdrawal symptoms during a 3-week sustained abstinence period relative to controls. Cannabis-using participants demonstrated an increase in withdrawal symptom trajectory during the first week followed by decreased symptoms from weeks 2 to 3, which contrasts with prior linear decreases observed in cannabis-using adolescent and young adults. More mood symptoms were observed in the cannabis-using group even while excluding for comorbid psychopathologies-along with significantly more sleep problems during the abstinence period. Implications include the necessity to provide psychoeducation for recreational, nontreatment-seeking cannabis-using individuals about cannabis withdrawal, mood symptoms, and sleep quality difficulties when cannabis cessation is attempted, to improve likelihood of long-term sustained abstinence.

Substance use patterns in 9 to 13-year-olds: Longitudinal findings from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study.

Background: Though largely substance-naïve at enrollment, a proportion of the youth in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study are expected to initiate substance use (SU) as they transition into later adolescence. With annual data from youth 9-13 years-old, this study aims to describe their SU patterns over time. Here, prevalence rates of use are reported, along with predicted odds of use while analyzing common risk-factors associated with youth SU. Methods: The ABCD Study® enrolled 11,876 participants at Baseline (ages 9-10) and has followed them annually. Data through half of the third follow-up visit are available (ages 12-13; n = 6,251). SU descriptives for al psychoactive substances over time are outlined. General estimating equations (GEEs) assessed whether sociodemographic factors, internalizing and externalizing symptoms, and parental SU problems were associated with SU between Baseline and Y2 follow-up. Results: Across time, alcohol and nicotine remain the most used substances. Yearly rates of any SU increased (past year use: 13.9% in Y1; 14% Y2, 18.4% Y3). Cumulatively, by Y3, 39.7% of the cohort reported experimenting (e.g., sipping alcohol) with SU within their lifetime, while 7.4% reported a "full use" (a full alcohol drink, nicotine use, cannabis use, or any other SU) in their lifetime (past-year: 1.9% alcohol, 2.1% nicotine, 1.1% cannabis, 1.2% other substances). GEEs revealed ongoing longitudinal associations between sociodemographic factors, greater externalizing symptoms, and parental drug problems with increased odds of initiating SU. Conclusions: As ABCD participants transition into their teenage years, the cohort is initiating SU at increasing (though still low) rates.

Longitudinal Impact of Childhood Adversity on Early Adolescent Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic in the ABCD Study Cohort: Does Race or Ethnicity Moderate Findings?

BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, mental health among youth has been negatively affected. Youth with a history of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), as well as youth from minoritized racial-ethnic backgrounds, may be especially vulnerable to experiencing COVID-19-related distress. The aims of this study are to examine whether exposure to pre-pandemic ACEs predicts mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic in youth and whether racial-ethnic background moderates these effects. METHODS: From May to August 2020, 7983 youths (mean age, 12.5 years; range, 10.6-14.6 years) in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study completed at least one of three online surveys measuring the impact of the pandemic on their mental health. Data were evaluated in relation to youths' pre-pandemic mental health and ACEs. RESULTS: Pre-pandemic ACE history significantly predicted poorer mental health across all outcomes and greater COVID-19-related stress and impact of fears on well-being. Youths reported improved mental health during the pandemic (from May to August 2020). While reporting similar levels of mental health, youths from minoritized racial-ethnic backgrounds had elevated COVID-19-related worry, stress, and impact on well-being. Race and ethnicity generally did not moderate ACE effects. Older youths, girls, and those with greater pre-pandemic internalizing symptoms also reported greater mental health symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Youths who experienced greater childhood adversity reported greater negative affect and COVID-19-related distress during the pandemic. Although they reported generally better mood, Asian American, Black, and multiracial youths reported greater COVID-19-related distress and experienced COVID-19-related discrimination compared with non-Hispanic White youths, highlighting potential health disparities.

Adolescent Experiences with Self-Asphyxial Behaviors and Problematic Drinking in Emerging Adulthood.

Self-asphyxial behavior to achieve a euphoric high (The Choking Game; TCG), occurs most often during early adolescence. Participants in TCG often engage in other risky behaviors. This study investigated the relationship between prior experience with TCG and problematic drinking behaviors in emerging adulthood. Emerging adults, 18 to 25 years old (N = 1248), 56% female, and 78% Caucasian completed an online survey regarding knowledge of and prior engagement in TCG and current drinking behaviors. Participants who personally engaged in TCG during childhood/adolescence or were familiar with TCG reported significantly more problematic drinking behaviors during emerging adulthood. Those present when others engaged in TCG but resisted participation themselves reported significantly less current problematic drinking behaviors than those who participated, but significantly more current problematic drinking behaviors than those never present. Emerging adults with increased social familiarity with TCG during adolescence endorsed greater problematic drinking behaviors. Results suggest resistance skills may generalize across time/activities.

Cannabis Use and Brain Volume in Adolescent and Young Adult Cannabis Users: Effects Moderated by Sex and Aerobic Fitness.

OBJECTIVES: Studies examining the impact of adolescent and young adult cannabis use on structural outcomes have been heterogeneous. One already-identified moderator is sex, while a novel potential moderator is extent of aerobic fitness. Here, we sought to investigate the associations of cannabis use, sex, and aerobic fitness levels on brain volume. Second, we explored brain-behavior relationships to interpret these findings. METHODS: Seventy-four adolescents and young adults (36 cannabis users and 38 controls) underwent 3 weeks of monitored cannabis abstinence, aerobic fitness testing, structural neuroimaging, and neuropsychological testing. Linear regressions examined cannabis use and its interaction with sex and aerobic fitness on whole-brain cortical volume and subcortical regions of interests. RESULTS: No main-effect differences between cannabis users and nonusers were observed; however, cannabis-by-sex interactions identified differences in frontal, temporal, and paracentral volumes. Female cannabis users generally exhibited greater volume while male users exhibited less volume compared to same-sex controls. Positive associations between aerobic fitness and frontal, parietal, cerebellum, and caudate volumes were observed. Cannabis-by-fitness interaction was linked with left superior temporal volume. Preliminary brain-behavior correlations revealed that abnormal volumes were not advantageous in either male or female cannabis users. CONCLUSIONS: Aerobic fitness was linked with greater brain volume and sex moderated the effect of cannabis use on volume; preliminary brain-behavior correlations revealed that differences in cannabis users were not linked with advantageous cognitive performance. Implications of sex-specific subtleties and mechanisms of aerobic fitness require large-scale investigation. Furthermore, present findings and prior literature on aerobic exercise warrant examinations of aerobic fitness interventions that aimed at improving neurocognitive health in substance-using youth.

Resting state functional connectivity in the default mode network: Relationships between cannabis use, gender, and cognition in adolescents and young adults.

INTRODUCTION: Cannabis is the most commonly used illicit substance in the United States, and nearly 1 in 4 young adults are current cannabis users. Chronic cannabis use is associated with changes in resting state functional connectivity (RSFC) in the default mode network (DMN) in adolescents and young adults; results are somewhat inconsistent across studies, potentially due to methodological differences. The aims of the present study were to examine potential differences in DMN RSFC between cannabis users and controls, and to examine, as an exploratory analysis, if gender moderated any findings. We further examined whether differences in RSFC related to differences in performance on selected neuropsychological measures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-seven 16-26-year-old participants underwent an MRI scan (including resting state scan), neuropsychological battery, toxicology screening, and drug use interview. Differences in DMN connectivity were examined between groups (cannabis vs. control) and with an exploratory group by gender interaction, using a left posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) seed-based analysis conducted in AFNI. RESULTS: Cannabis users demonstrated weaker connectivity than controls between the left PCC and various DMN nodes, and the right Rolandic operculum/Heschl's gyrus. Cannabis users demonstrated stronger connectivity between the left PCC and the cerebellum and left supramarginal gyrus. The group by gender interaction was not significantly associated with connectivity differences. Stronger left PCC-cerebellum connectivity was associated with poorer performance on cognitive measures in cannabis users. In controls, intra-DMN connectivity was positively correlated with performance on a speeded selective/sustained attention measure. DISCUSSION: Consistent with our hypotheses and other studies, cannabis users demonstrated weaker connectivity between the left PCC and DMN nodes. Chronic THC exposure may alter GABA and glutamate concentrations, which may alter brain communication. Future studies should be conducted with a larger sample size and examine gender differences and the mechanism by which these differences may arise.

Risk factors associated with curiosity about alcohol use in the ABCD cohort.

Curiosity and intent to use alcohol in pre-adolescence is a risk factor for later experimentation and use, yet we know little of how curiosity about use develops. Here, we examine factors that may influence curiosity about alcohol use, as it may be an important predictor of later drinking behavior. Cross-sectional data on youth ages 10-11 from the ongoing Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development℠ (ABCD) Study Year 1 follow-up were used (n = 2,334; NDA 2.0.1). All participants were substance-naïve at time of assessment. Group factor analysis identified latent factors across common indicators of risk for early substance use (i.e., psychopathology and trait characteristics; substance use attitudes/behaviors; neurocognition; family and environment). Logistic mixed-effect models tested associations between latent factors of risk for early substance use and curiosity about alcohol use, controlling for demographics and study site. Two multidimensional factors were significantly inversely and positively associated with greater curiosity about alcohol use, respectively: 1) low internalizing and externalizing symptomatology coupled with low impulsivity, perceived neighborhood safety, negative parental history of alcohol use problems, and fewer adverse life experiences and family conflict; and 2) low perceived risk of alcohol use coupled with lack of peer disapproval of use. When assessing all risk factors in an overall regression, lack of perceived harm from trying alcohol once or twice was associated with greater likelihood of alcohol curiosity. Taken together, perceptions that alcohol use causes little harm and having peers with similar beliefs is related to curiosity about alcohol use among substance-naïve 10-11-year-olds. General mental health and environmental risk factors similarly increase the odds of curiosity for alcohol. Identification of multidimensional risk factors for early alcohol use may point to novel prevention and early intervention targets. Future longitudinal investigations in the ABCD cohort will determine the extent to which these factors and curiosity predict alcohol use among youth.

Association between brain morphometry and aerobic fitness level and sex in healthy emerging adults.

OBJECTIVE: Aerobic fitness may be beneficial for neuroanatomical structure. However, few have investigated this in emerging adults while also accounting for potential sex differences. Here we examine aerobic fitness level, sex, and their interaction in relation to cortical thickness, surface area, and volume. METHOD: Sixty-three young adults between the ages of 16-26 were balanced for sex and demonstrated a wide range of aerobic fitness levels. Exclusion criteria included left-handedness, past-year independent Axis-I disorders, major medical/neurologic disorders, prenatal medical issues, prenatal alcohol/illicit drug exposure, or excessive substance use. Participants completed an MRI scan and a graded exercise test to volitional fatigue (VO2 max). Data analyses were run in Freesurfer and data was corrected for multiple comparisons with Monte Carlo simulations at .05. RESULTS: Males demonstrated higher VO2 values. Higher VO2 values were statistically independently related to thinner lateral occipital, superior parietal, cuneus, precuneus, and inferior parietal regions, smaller lateral occipital volume, and larger inferior parietal surface area. Compared to females, males had larger volume in rostral anterior cingulate, lateral occipital, and superior frontal regions, and greater surface area in fusiform, inferior parietal, rostral and caudal anterior cingulate, and superior parietal regions. VO2*Sex interactions revealed higher-fit females had higher inferior parietal, paracentral, and supramarginal surface area, while lower-fit males showed larger surface area in these same regions. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with higher aerobic fitness performance had thinner cortices, lower volume, and larger surface area in sensorimotor regions than lower fit individuals, perhaps suggesting earlier neuromaturation in higher fit individuals. Larger surface area was associated with higher-fit females and lower-fit males. Thus both sex and aerobic fitness are important in shaping brain health in emerging adults.