Children's brain activation during risky decision-making: A contributor to substance problems?

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Among young children excessive externalizing behaviors often predict adolescent conduct and substance use disorders. Adolescents with those disorders show aberrant brain function when choosing between risky or cautious options. We therefore asked whether similarly aberrant brain function during risky decision-making accompanies excessive externalizing behaviors among children, hypothesizing an association between externalizing severity and regional intensity of brain activation during risky decision-making.

Method

Fifty-eight (58) 9-11 year-old children (both sexes), half community-recruited, half with substance-treated relatives, had parent-rated Child Behavior Checklist Externalizing scores. During fMRI, children repeatedly chose between doing a cautious behavior

SUBMITTER: Crowley TJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5548624 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature