Suffolk Reporter

A recent study conducted by researchers at Stony Brook University has found a link between increased neuromelanin levels in the midbrain and extensive substance use among young adults. The research, which utilized neuromelanin-sensitive MRI, involved 135 participants aged 20 to 24 and revealed that this association was particularly strong in women.

The study, led by Greg Perlman, PhD, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, highlights the potential of neuromelanin-sensitive MRI to offer new insights into the dopamine system's health in young individuals. "Young adults who regularly engage in substance use appear to show greater than normal levels of neuromelanin accumulation on this type of MRI scan, especially young women," said Perlman.

Perlman emphasized the importance of studying younger populations: “This is important because much of the biomedical research on the effects of drug and alcohol use on the dopamine system has examined older adults after years or decades of chronic substance use." He noted that there is limited information about the dopamine system in adolescents or young adults after just a few years of habitual alcohol and drug use.

The study found that increased neuromelanin was associated with substance use generally but not linked to any specific type of drug. The team is now expanding their research to include teenagers aged 14 to 17. This new study aims to understand better how life experiences like alcohol consumption, social media usage, and stress impact neuromelanin accumulation over time.

The research received partial funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, part of the National Institutes of Health.