Impact of adolescent alcohol binge-drinking on brain maturation

Alcohol is the most consumed addictive substance in teenagers and about 40% of them regularly experience alcohol binge-drinking, consuming at least 5 drinks in two hours. This pattern of alcohol consumption is toxic for the brain, in particular for the frontal areas which undergo intense maturation during adolescence. The frontal part of the brain is responsible for the executive functions, such as attention, communication, control of impulsivity and goal-directed behaviors. By modeling adolescent alcohol binge-drinking in mice, we showed that excessive alcohol intake insidiously impairs executive functioning and induce the development of severe and persistent behavioral defects. The goal of our research is to unveil how alcohol interferes with brain maturation to promote the development of alcohol addiction and related psychiatric disorders.  

5 questions: 
-    What happens in an addicted brain?
-    Is alcohol toxicity increased during adolescence?
-    Is there a correlation between the age of the first alcohol sip and the risk of developing alcohol dependence later in life?
-    Can we efficiently model alcohol addiction in mice?
-    What are the behavioral consequences of adolescent alcohol binge-drinking? 

The speaker: Sophie Laguesse

After a PhD at ULiège studying malformations of brain development, Sophie Laguesse performed a postdoctoral stay at the University of California San Francisco where she discovered alcohol addiction research. 3 Years later, she came back to Belgium to start an original line of research aiming at understanding the brain mechanisms underlying the development of alcohol addiction. In 2021 She was appointed research assistant by the FNRS and is currently starting her own lab at ULiège. 

Main awards
-    BAEF Fellowship
-    Marie Sklodowska Curie fellowship
-    Colleen-Francqui startup grant 
-    Brain and Behavior Research Young Investigator grant 

Roza

Roza produces subtle sound waves, chemical reactions, soft shivers that envelop, move, transport, revolt and soothe. 

Her universe is poetic, engaging, sensitive to the world, authentic and furiously modern. 

Marrying the digital (loops) to string instruments (banjo, guitar or n'goni), she cheerfully walks her unique voice on the borders of folk and jazz.

Accompanied on stage by Hadrien Pierson on percussion and Antoine Flipo (Glass Museum) on keyboards, she declares the desire to revolt, her understanding of the immense extremes of the universe and her fear of losing sight of beauty.

At barely 20 years old, she released her first single "Coule Amour" from her upcoming album.