Question

Myelination of the frontal lobes is much greater in adults aged 23 to 30 than in youth between the ages of 12 and 16. Unfortunately, the adolescent’s white matter is more susceptible than an adult’s to damage from_____________.

Answer 1

The correct answer is: binge drinking

Step-by-step explanation:

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, binge drinking is defined as a pattern of drinking that brings a person's blood alcohol concetration (BAC) to 0.08 grams percent or above. It is most common among younger adults aged 18 - 34 years.

During adolescence, the brain undergoes a process of maduration that includes changes in cortical gray-matter volume and increases in white-matter. This undergoing development makes the adolescent's brain specially vulnerable to the neurotoxic effects of alcohol. Recent studies have shown that greater amounts of alcohol intake is associated with smaller white matter volume.