Executive functions and substance use: Relations in late adolescence and early adulthood.

ABSTRACT: Poor executive functions (EFs) have been linked to substance use and abuse across multiple substances. However, it is unclear whether these associations are stronger for some EFs over others and/or some stages of substance use over others (e.g., ever using substances vs. dependence). It is also unknown whether such patterns change from adolescence to early adulthood, a transition that is characterized by changes to both EFs and substance use behaviors. In this longitudinal study of approximately 850 twins, we examined the relations between multiple EF abilities (including a common EF factor predicting 9 EF tasks) and measures of general substance use and dependence/abuse in late adolescence (mean age 17 years) and early adulthood (mean age 23 years). At the phenotypic level, common EF in a

SUBMITTER: Gustavson DE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5305429 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature