A new study found moderately impulsive adolescent boys who drank heavily have less impulse control in later years -- thus putting them at risk for more heavy drinking, HealthDay News reported Nov. 16.
Investigators at the Rutgers University Center of Alcohol Studies examined drinking patterns and impulse control scores annually among approximately 500 Pittsburgh-area boys aged 8 to 18, with follow-up assessment at age 24 to 25.
According to the findings, teens with moderate impulsivity scores who drank heavily had significantly increased impulsivity scores at the next year's assessment. There was no change in impulsivity, regardless of consumption, among boys with low or high impulsivity scores.
Although the causal link between heavy alcohol use and increased impulsivity has not been fully established, the authors believe alcohol affects the areas of the developing brain that support behavioral control.
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