Faculty mentor/PI email address
venkatar@rowan.edu
Keywords
opioid use, adolescents, frontal lobe
Date of Presentation
5-6-2026 12:00 AM
Poster Abstract
Adolescence represents a critical period of neurodevelopment characterized by ongoing maturation of the prefrontal cortex (PFC), a brain region essential for executive function, impulse control, and behavioral regulation. Exposure to opioids during this vulnerable window may disrupt neural development and lead to long-term consequences. This review synthesizes current preclinical and human evidence examining the effects of adolescent opioid exposure on PFC development. Across rodent models, opioid exposure is associated with impaired synaptogenesis, altered dopaminergic signaling, and dysregulation of the prefrontal-mesolimbic circuits involved in decision making. Human studies showed reduced functional connectivity and white matter changes in those with opioid use disorder. Overall, these findings suggest that adolescent opioid exposure disrupts PFC maturation, contributing to deficits in executive function and increased risk of substance abuse. This highlights the need for longitudinal research.
Disciplines
Medicine and Health Sciences | Neurosciences | Substance Abuse and Addiction
Adolescent Opioid Use and Prefrontal Cortex Development - A Systematic Review
Adolescence represents a critical period of neurodevelopment characterized by ongoing maturation of the prefrontal cortex (PFC), a brain region essential for executive function, impulse control, and behavioral regulation. Exposure to opioids during this vulnerable window may disrupt neural development and lead to long-term consequences. This review synthesizes current preclinical and human evidence examining the effects of adolescent opioid exposure on PFC development. Across rodent models, opioid exposure is associated with impaired synaptogenesis, altered dopaminergic signaling, and dysregulation of the prefrontal-mesolimbic circuits involved in decision making. Human studies showed reduced functional connectivity and white matter changes in those with opioid use disorder. Overall, these findings suggest that adolescent opioid exposure disrupts PFC maturation, contributing to deficits in executive function and increased risk of substance abuse. This highlights the need for longitudinal research.