Notable relevance for mental health professionals, including psychotherapists, social workers, and counselors: prenatal alcohol exposure may shape the brain’s dopamine system, a central mechanism for motivation and reward, before any drinking occurs. The rhesus monkey findings link these early neural changes to faster alcohol use in adulthood, highlighting the importance of developmental risk factors in assessment and prevention planning.

Article Title: A hidden brain effect of prenatal alcohol exposure

Link to Science Daily Mind-Brain News: https://ift dot tt/2o0vcha

#PrenatalAlcoholExposure #DopamineSystem #SubstanceUseRisk #Neuroscience #MentalHealth

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