Lower attention ability in adolescence predicts substance use in later life

Lower attention ability in adolescence can predict cigarette and cannabis use in young adulthood, according to new research from Trinity College Dublin. 

Sustained attention, the ability to maintain focus on a task over time, is an important cognitive ability. Substance use, particularly cigarettes and cannabis, has previously been linked to impairments in sustained attention. But it was unclear if poor sustained attention preceded substance use or was a consequence of substance use.

The research, published in the peer-reviewed journal eLife, found for the first time that lower sustained attention and related brain network activity at age 14 predicted a larger increase in cigarette and cannabis use by age 23.

The study, undertaken by researchers in Trinity’s School of Psychology and School of Medicine, suggests that sustained attention and associated brain activity could be used as early biomarkers for vulnerability to substance use. The research involved the analysis of brain imaging data from over 1,000 participants in the IMAGEN study, obtained at ages 14, 19, and 23 years.

Robert Whelan, Professor in Psychology, who led the research team, explained: “The widespread use of cigarette and cannabis among adolescents and young adults in Ireland and elsewhere is a significant public health concern, with major long-term health implications.”

“By identifying lower sustained attention as a predictor of substance use, our findings can potentially guide the development of targeted educational programmes and cognitive training interventions to improve attention in adolescents identified as vulnerable to substance use. This proactive approach could reduce substance abuse risks, improve individual lives, and lessen societal burdens related to addiction.”

The full paper, entitled “A robust brain network for sustained attention from adolescence to adulthood that predicts later substance use”, is freely available and can be read on the journal website here.