1. Clayton Valley HS October 25, 2016
Drugs and the Adolescent Brain

2. What this talk is about Who I am rjcantor@aol.com
Power of the Subconscious
Adolescent brain different
Power of dopamine
Weed – Potency Hippocampus
Alcohol - Anesthetic, teens different
Uppers, Downers, All Arounders
Red Flags – Downers, THC edibles
Parents message – Caring and wait

3. The Power of the Unconscious
Heart
Emotions
Thought
Slides 7 thru 9 are designed to focus attention on the influence of the subconscious in the interaction with children

4. Adolescent Brain
Adult Brain

5. Adolescent Brain 5

6. Adult Brain 6

7. Pruning & Mylenation
“USE IT OR LOSE IT”– Reading, sports, music, video games, hanging out—whatever a child/teen is doing—these are the neural synapses that will be retained and those not worked get pruned away
Those neural synapses that are consistently used get hardwired in through mylenation

8. Drive, motivation, the what’s important filter

9. SYNAPTIC SPACE If input has interest, dopamine is fired off.
High Interest
Input
Dopamine
This is the mind - body connection.

10. SYNAPTIC SPACE A psychoactive drug can trick the brain into firing off dopamine.
THC,
Alcohol,
Etc.
This makes the drug take on importance.

11. Developmental tasks Boredom/ Developing Interests Good times Stress
Social Skills
Answer the question “Who am I and what is important to me”

12. Get a Life! Where’s your juice? What gets your interest?
Where’s your energy?
Where do you feel your spirit?
Mechanics, the Arts, People, Science
What moves you?

13. Dopamine vs. Serotonin Dopamine produces a feeling of pleasure
Serotonin produces a feeling of well being
Difference between pleasure and happiness (short lived vs big picture)
Developing skills, interest, relationships, meaning (“getting a life”)
Resiliency

14. Increased THC Potency Hippies ‘60’s 1 - 3% Cannabis Sativa
Vietnam % Cannabis Indica
Growing females % Sensimilla
Horticulture of Northern California Indoor growing today 15 – 20%
Wax and Dabs 50% +
Vaping and E-Cigs

15. The Brain and Cannabinoid Sites
Nucleus Accumbens
Hippocampus
Cerebellum
Or how we trick the brain

16. Hippocampus, say what? Retrieves relevant information
Stores new info it deems relevant

17. Cerebellum
Controls internal and external coordination

18. Alcohol
The anesthetic and disinhibitor

19. Are adolescents more susceptible to alcohol than adults?
Most certainly YES
Reduced sensitivity to intoxication
Increased sensitivity to social disinhibitions
Greater adverse effects to cognitive functioning

20. Uppers, Downers and All Arounders
Uppers – Methamphetamine, Adderall.
Downers – Alcohol, Xanax, Painkillers
Hallucinogenics – Mushrooms, Marijuana
Red Flags – Mixing two downers (cross-fading), Edibles

21. Parent Position Be open to learning
What you say and what position you hold influences your child’s thinking and behavior
Seek clarity
Assess your child’s propensities toward drugs and alcohol
Teen proof your home
I care, I see, I feel, and then listen

22. Message for parent to teen
Wait,
Because…

23. Reasons for a delaying message
Safety
Prefrontal cortex less involved
Pruning and myelination
Altering the pleasure center
Short circuiting developmental tasks
The research

24. Percentage of U.S. Adults Aged 18 and Older Dependent on Alcohol, By Age of Drinking Onset24

25. Be Like Glinda

26. Ralph Cantor (510) 653-9410 rjcantor@aol.com
Contact Information
Ralph Cantor
(510)