Neuropsychopharmacology (2008) 33, 209-218
Gayathri J Dowling, Susan R B Weiss and Timothy P Condon National
Institute on Drug Abuse, NIH, DHHS, Bethesda, MD, USA
ABSTRACT
Substance abuse among older adults has received little attention in the
past, presumably because this population has traditionally accounted for
only a small percentage of the drug abuse problem in the United States.
The aging of the baby boomer generation (born 1946-1964), however, will
soon swell the ranks of older adults and dramatically alter the
demography of American society.
Several observations suggest that this expansion will likely be
accompanied by a precipitous increase in the abuse of drugs, including
prescription medications and illicit substances, among older adults.
While it is now evident that the brain changes continuously across life,
how drugs of abuse interact with these age-related changes remains
unclear.
The dynamic nature of brain function, however, suggests that substance
abuse during older age may augment the risks and require unique
considerations for diagnosis and treatment.
In addition to describing current and projected prevalence estimates of
substance abuse among older adults, the present review discusses how
aging affects brain systems involved in drug abuse, and explores the
potential impact of drug abuse on the aging brain.
Future directions for substance abuse research among older adults will
also be considered.
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