What question did this study set out to answer?

This research investigates the relationship between sex differences in brain activation and substance use risk in adolescents with externalizing disorders.

December 8, 2025Advances in Drug and Alcohol ResearchOpen Access

Sex differences in reward network activation are linked to problematic substance use among high-risk adolescents

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This research investigates the relationship between sex differences in brain activation and substance use risk in adolescents with externalizing disorders.
Participants included 115 drug-naive adolescents with EXT psychopathology performing the Balloon Analogue Risk Task during neuroimaging.
Questionnaires assessing substance use were completed by participants and guardians at 6-month intervals.
Statistical analyses evaluated sex differences in brain activation using Cox proportional hazards models.
Higher modulated brain activation in the right nucleus accumbens was linked to lower hazard of problematic substance use in females.
In males, higher unmodulated activation in the right nucleus accumbens was also associated with a lower hazard of problematic substance use.
The right subgenual anterior cingulate cortex showed similar protective associations for females.

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Implication

Neuroimaging reveals sex differences in brain activation patterns influencing substance use risk in adolescents with EXT disorders, suggesting targeted interventions are needed.

Cite This Study

Murray et al. (2025) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/693624a44fa91c937236c2cc https://doi.org/10.3389/adar.2025.14591

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Implication

Neuroimaging reveals sex differences in brain activation patterns influencing substance use risk in adolescents with EXT disorders, suggesting targeted interventions are needed.

Sex differences in reward network activation are linked to problematic substance use among high-risk adolescents

Key Points

Discussion

Implication

Cite This Study

Sex differences in reward network activation are linked to problematic substance use among high-risk adolescents

Key Points

Discussion

Implication

Cite This Study