Effects of childhood adversities and early alcohol exposure on youth brain development

Investigator

Dhatshayini Rattambige, PhD candidate

Supervisors

• Associate Professor Michael Cole, Faculty of Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University (Principal Supervisor)
• Professor Daryl Higgins, Institute of Child Protection Studies, Australian Catholic University
• Professor Sarah Whittle, Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne

Aims

• Examine the association between different types of childhood maltreatment and subsequent patterns of alcohol use in youth, focusing on the moderating roles of maltreatment type, disclosure timing, and age of onset of alcohol use.
• Investigate the long-term neurodevelopmental effects of early alcohol exposure in the context of childhood adversity, assessing changes in brain structure using neuroimaging data.
• Identify key risk and protective factors that influence the relationship between childhood adversities and alcohol use and their impact on structural brain development and the development of substance misuse behaviours.

Background

Childhood adversities, such as maltreatment and early life stressors, have been shown to disrupt healthy brain development, potentially leading to cognitive, emotional, and behavioural consequences that persist into adulthood. Despite extensive research into the individual effects of childhood adversities and alcohol exposure, a comprehensive understanding of how these factors interact to influence youth brain development remains limited. This project addresses this critical gap by examining how different types of childhood maltreatment, their timing, prenatal alcohol exposure, and early alcohol use affect brain structure and cognitive functioning during adolescence and beyond.

Project details

This project seeks to enhance our understanding of the intricate relationship between childhood adversity and substance use on neurodevelopment. The ultimate mission is to inform early intervention strategies and policies that reduce the risk of adverse outcomes and promote resilience among at-risk youth.

The project is a collaboration with data providers from the Australian Child Maltreatment Study and the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study.

Method

• Utilise existing data from large-scale longitudinal studies.
• Perform statistical analyses to explore the impact of childhood adversity and early alcohol use on structural neurodevelopment.
• Apply neuroimaging analysis to assess structural and functional brain changes in relation to childhood maltreatment and alcohol exposure.

Research questions and foreseen challenges

• Analyse how various types of childhood adversities relate to youth alcohol use behaviours.
• Determine the impact of maltreatment disclosure on youth alcohol use patterns.
• Explore the interaction between prenatal alcohol exposure, early alcohol use in youth, and childhood adversities in shaping structural brain development.
• Identify protective and risk factors that contribute to youth neurodevelopment and behavioural outcomes.
• Identify specific brain regions affected by childhood adversities, prenatal alcohol exposure, and early alcohol use.
• Clarify how the timing and type of childhood maltreatment influence neurodevelopmental outcomes and resilience.
• Reveal the interactions between childhood adversities, prenatal exposure, and early alcohol use that contribute to cognitive and behavioural development.

Projected community impact

Findings will be of interest to a wide range of stakeholders. Policymakers and mental health professionals may use the findings to enhance policy frameworks that support evidence-based mental health and substance use prevention strategies. This could improve societal outcomes through targeted, effective early intervention programs that reduce the long-term impact of childhood adversities and substance use.

Educators and youth service providers may find results helpful when developing educational and training resources for professionals working with at-risk youth. Outcomes could be a strengthening of cognitive and emotional resilience in young people, contributing to healthier developmental trajectories. Incorporating findings into existing prevention and intervention programs might reduce the prevalence of alcohol use disorders and related mental health issues among youth.

Further research in neuroscience, psychology and public health could further address the needs of youth exposed to childhood adversities and early alcohol exposure.

Links

Australian Child Maltreatment Study

Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study

Ethics

Australian Catholic University Human Research Ethics Committee, Application numbers: 2024-3876X and 2024-3818X

Project timeline

July 2022 to October 2025

Contact

For more information contact: icps@acu.edu.au