Executive attention and response control are critical for impulse control. Both rely on regions at the front of the brain like dorsolateral and dorsomedial frontal cortex regions. A recent Boys Town study has indicated that adolescents reporting more abuse symptoms, particularly those associated with alcohol, show problems using these brain areas during response control. Scientists note that if these regions aren’t working well, an individual is less likely to control his/her impulses and may be more likely to abuse substances in the future. In addition, behavior generally becomes more impulsive.
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