Grant: Operating Grant

Only some people who try drugs and alcohol develop addiction problems. To better understand how these problems develop, we have been studying more than 2500 children since birth, each of whom will turn 18 in the next three years. By assessing these children and their families throughout their lives, we have identified developmental features (e.g., impulsivity and behavioral disinhibition) that predict susceptibility to drug and alcohol problems. Now, here, in the current CIHR project, we plan to map features of their brain biology. Together it is hoped that the envisaged combination of behavioral and biological markers for addictions will help us understand better the relevant developmental risk pathways. Understanding these pathways and causes of addictions are critical steps toward creating early interventions that target the right people in the right way.