About

Sandra A. Brown, Ph.D., is a Distinguished Professor in the Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry at UC San Diego. She is internationally recognized for her developmentally focused research on alcohol and drugs, with pioneering contributions to understanding adolescent addiction, relapse among youth, and long-term outcomes of youth who have experienced alcohol and drug problems. Dr. Brown has served as the past President of Division 50 (Addictions) of the American Psychological Association and is involved in numerous scientific organizations, holding over 35 grants and authoring more than 350 publications. Her work has significantly contributed to addiction prevention and intervention at both national and international levels, including helping to establish national screening and early intervention guidelines for youth through her involvement with NIAAA. Currently, she co-directs the National Consortium on Alcohol and Neurodevelopment in Adolescence (NCANDA) and the Coordinating Center of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, the largest longitudinal study of youth development funded by NIH.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Psychiatry
• Psychology
• Genetics
• Biology
• Computer Science
• Political Science
• Developmental psychology
• Family medicine
• Social psychology
• Internal medicine
• Audiology
• Computational biology
• Pediatrics
• Clinical psychology
• Finance
• Neuroscience
• Market economy
• Public economics
• Public relations
• Economics
• Business
• Pathology
• Radiology

Selected publications

• Structural brain recovery following reductions in adolescent and young adult binge drinking: A longitudinal NCANDA study

  Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience · 2025-12-05 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  Adolescence through young adulthood is a sensitive neurodevelopmental window characterized by ongoing maturation of gray and white matter and heightened vulnerability to alcohol's neurotoxic effects. Although prior studies link binge drinking with disrupted brain development, the potential for recovery with reduced alcohol use remains underexplored. Using data from 690 participants (ages 12-29) in the National Consortium on Alcohol and NeuroDevelopment in Adolescence to Adulthood (NCANDA-A), we examined the longitudinal impact of binge drinking episodes, and reductions in binge drinking episodes, on regional gray and white matter volumes. Linear mixed-effects models assessed (1) past-year binge drinking frequency, (2) reductions below personal mean binge drinking across time, and (3) transitions in frequency of binge drinking across 10 annual neuroimaging assessments. Results showed that higher binge drinking frequency was associated with decreases in gray matter across frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital cortices, as well as white matter reductions in frontolimbic and frontostriatal pathways. Reductions below personal mean drinking frequency were also associated with attenuated shrinkage in gray matter volumes. Participants who transitioned from frequent to infrequent binge drinking had significantly larger corpus callosum volumes compared to those with sustained frequent binge episodes. This longitudinal analysis demonstrates consistent negative effects of binge drinking on gray and white matter regions. Importantly, reductions in binge drinking provide evidence for neuroanatomical recovery, particularly in the corpus callosum, and suggest that the degree of recovery may vary by brain region and extent of alcohol use reduction during this key developmental period.

  PublisherDOI

• Increased Prevalence of Childhood Complex Trauma in Comorbid Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Substance Use Disorders Compared to Either Disorder Alone: A Systematic Review

  Early Intervention in Psychiatry · 2025-05-01 · 2 citations

  reviewOpen access

  OBJECTIVE: Childhood complex trauma (CCT) prevalence among individuals with comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorder (SUD) is unknown. We conducted a meta-analysis to compare CCT prevalence in samples of PTSD alone, SUD alone and comorbid PTSD+SUD. METHOD: A systematic review of PTSD, CCT and SUD literature was conducted using online databases. Binary outcome meta-analytic models were fitted comparing CCT prevalence in comorbid PTSD + SUD to PTSD and SUD only. RESULTS: Seven studies were included, and estimates for CCT prevalence were higher, on average, among individuals with comorbid PTSD+SUD (35%-78%) compared to PTSD alone (4%-70%) and SUD alone (2%-65%). A meta-analysis of four studies indicated individuals with comorbid PTSD+SUD were 18% more likely to have experienced CCT compared to individuals with PTSD only (RR = 1.18, 95% CI [1.13, 1.25]) and 24% more likely compared to individuals with SUD only (RR = 1.24, 95% CI [1.20, 1.29]). CONCLUSIONS: Further research is needed to establish a more accurate prevalence rate for individuals with comorbid PTSD and SUD. Evidence of greater CCT prevalence will inform research study design and clinical targets during treatment for individuals with comorbid PTSD and SUD.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Mapping the genetic landscape across 14 psychiatric disorders

  Nature · 2025-12-10 · 44 citations

  articleOpen access

  Psychiatric disorders display high levels of comorbidity and genetic overlap1,2, challenging current diagnostic boundaries. For disorders for which diagnostic separation has been most debated, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder3, genomic methods have revealed that the majority of genetic signal is shared4. While over a hundred pleiotropic loci have been identified by recent cross-disorder analyses5, the full scope of shared and disorder-specific genetic influences remains poorly defined. Here we addressed this gap by triangulating across a suite of cutting-edge statistical and functional genomic analyses applied to 14 childhood- and adult-onset psychiatric disorders (1,056,201 cases). Using genetic association data from common variants, we identified and characterized five underlying genomic factors that explained the majority of the genetic variance of the individual disorders (around 66% on average) and were associated with 238 pleiotropic loci. The two factors defined by (1) Schizophrenia and bipolar disorders (SB factor); and (2) major depression, PTSD and anxiety (Internalizing factor) showed high levels of polygenic overlap6 and local genetic correlation and very few disorder-specific loci. The genetic signal shared across all 14 disorders was enriched for broad biological processes (for example, transcriptional regulation), while more specific pathways were shared at the level of the individual factors. The shared genetic signal across the SB factor was substantially enriched in genes expressed in excitatory neurons, whereas the Internalizing factor was associated with oligodendrocyte biology. These observations may inform a more neurobiologically valid psychiatric nosology and implicate targets for therapeutic development designed to treat commonly occurring comorbid presentations. Genomic analyses applied to 14 childhood- and adult-onset psychiatric disorders identifies five underlying genomic factors that explain the majority of the genetic variance of the individual disorders.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Adverse childhood experiences and post-traumatic stress impacts on brain connectivity and alcohol use in adolescence

  Child Neuropsychology · 2025-01-17 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  ≤ 0.005) was found when PTSD symptoms were present in addition to ACEs. Findings suggest that PTSD symptoms are associated with lower within network rs-FC beyond exposure to ACEs, and some of these rs-FC changes were associated with worsened alcohol use problems (i.e. withdrawal symptoms). These findings highlight the importance of addressing PTSD symptoms in adolescents with a history of ACEs as it may mitigate problematic changes in brain connectivity and reduce the risk of developing alcohol use problems.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Corrigendum to “Exploring the relationship between sleep patterns, alcohol and other substances consumption in young adults: Insights from wearables and mobile surveys in the National Consortium on Alcohol and NeuroDevelopment in Adolescence (NCANDA) cohort” [Int. J. Psychophysiol. 209 (2025) 112524]

  International Journal of Psychophysiology · 2025-04-15

  erratum
  PublisherDOI

• Trauma Exposure Changes Substance Use Expectancies and Affects Subsequent Use among Early Adolescents

  2025-10-07

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  We examined changes in substance use (SU) expectancies following potentially traumatic events (PTEs) in a community-based cohort of early adolescents for three common substances used by teens (alcohol, cannabis, and nicotine) how those changes affected SU itself. We leveraged data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study (N=11,868, 48% female, 52% White), containing annual assessments of PTEs, SU expectancies, and SU itself from ages 10 to 14 years old. Using multilevel models to estimate between- and within-person effects, we tested whether PTEs predict negative and positive expectancies for alcohol, cannabis, and nicotine concurrently and prospectively and whether those expectancies forecast subsequent use. At the between-person level, PTEs were associated with increased negative and positive SU expectancies and subsequently associated with greater SU, directly and indirectly via positive expectancies concurrently and prospectively. At the within-person level, PTEs were associated with increased negative and positive SU expectancies concurrently but not prospectively. PTEs were associated with increases in SU directly and indirectly via positive expectancies and decreases in cannabis and nicotine use only via negative expectancies. But prospectively, PTEs were only associated with greater SU directly and not indirectly via positive or negative expectancies. Closer in time to each other, PTEs heighten the saliency of both positive and negative expectancies; however, over time, the effect of PTEs on expectancies seems to diminish. Current findings highlight a temporal window for optimal intervention to prevent SU following PTEs by assessing and targeting SU expectancies.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Responsible Use of Population Neuroscience Data in the ABCD: Towards Standards of Accountability and Integrity

  European Journal of Neuroscience · 2025-01-01

  editorialOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  This editorial focuses on the issue of data misuse that is increasingly evidenced in social media as well as some premiere scientific journals. This issue is of critical importance to open science projects in general, and ABCD in particular, given the broad array of biological, behavioural and environmental information collected on this American sample of 12,000 youth and parents. ABCD data are already widely used with over 1,200 publications and twice as many citations per year as expected (relative citation index based on year, field and journal). However, the adverse consequences of misuse of data and inaccurate interpretation of emergent findings from this precedent setting study may have a profound impact on disadvantaged populations and perpetuate biases and societal injustices.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Exploring the relationship between sleep patterns, alcohol and other substances consumption in young adults: Insights from wearables and Mobile surveys in the National Consortium on alcohol and NeuroDevelopment in adolescence (NCANDA) cohort

  International Journal of Psychophysiology · 2025-02-04 · 4 citations

  articleOpen access

  The use of psychotropic substances has negative short- and long-term health outcomes, including complex direct and indirect effects on sleep and sleep-cardiovascular function. Here, we investigate daily relationships between self-reported substance use and objective measures of sleep and sleep-related heart rate (HR) in community-dwelling young adults. Fifty-five healthy young adults (M age = 23.1 ± 2.29 y, 30 female) in the National Consortium on Alcohol and Neurodevelopment in Adolescence (NCANDA) study completed a 28-day ecological momentary assessment protocol, including remote sleep and HR measurements via Fitbit devices, as well as daily app-based self-reports of alcohol and other substance use. A total of 1459 days of data were collected. Caffeine was the most frequent substance used, followed by alcohol, cannabis, nicotine, and other drugs. The analysis showed that substance use was associated with delays in sleep start and end time, reduced sleep duration and efficiency, and increased wake after sleep onset. Increases in sleep heart rate were associated with prior-day alcohol use. Substance use negatively influences sleep and sleep HR. These preliminary data highlight the potential value of using remote multimodal data collection to investigate the daily relationships between substance use and sleep in young adults, in an ecological setting. • Alcohol, nicotine, and other drug consumption are associated with delayed sleep schedules in young adults. • Alcohol and cannabis are also associated with poorer sleep quality and other drug use with reduced sleep duration. • Nighttime alcohol use is associated with increased heart rate during sleep.

  PublisherDOI

• Prevalence and Correlates of Digital Location Tracking Among Parents of Teenagers in the United States

  2025-08-29

  articleOpen access

  Importance: Parent tracking of a teenager’s location using an electronic device like a smartphone (“digital location tracking” [DLT]) is a new technology that may impact family functioning and teen adjustment. However, there is minimal data on parent DLT use to inform clinicians and scientists. Objective: Determine the prevalence and correlates of parent DLT use in a nationwide, longitudinal sample of teenagers in the U.S. Design: Cohort study. Data were drawn from the ongoing Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study. This study uses data from assessments conducted in July 2023 - February 2024. Observations were weighted to be representative of the U.S. Census with respect to teen sex and race/ethnicity; family income, structure, and employment; Census region; and household size. Setting: 21 sites across the U.S. Participants: 2,736 families with teenagers 14-17 years old (50% female; 72% white, 19% Black, and 5% Asian). Exposures: Frequency of parent use of DLT for their teenagers, rated on a 6-point Likert scale from “never” to “several times per day”. Main Outcomes and Measures: Measures of sociodemographics, family functioning, and teen adjustment. Results: 76% of parents of teens in the U.S. had DLT activated and 34% checked it daily. Sociodemographic and family functioning variables generally showed an upside-down V shaped association with the frequency of DLT use. Lower marital rates, education, income, and parental warmth and higher conflict were seen among both those who rarely/never used DLT and those who checked it daily or more, with the most favorable profile seen among those who checked DLT about weekly. Checking DLT several times per day was also correlated with markedly higher teen externalizing problems. Overt (vs. covert) use of the DLT app was associated with higher SES and better family functioning. Conclusions and Relevance: It is now the norm in the U.S. for parents to track their teenager’s location using an app, and there appear to be complex associations between use of this technology and other outcomes of interest. More data is needed to evaluate the potential impacts of DLT on teen and family functioning.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Identifying high school risk factors that forecast heavy drinking onset in understudied young adults

  Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience · 2024-06-26 · 5 citations

  articleOpen access

  Heavy alcohol drinking is a major, preventable problem that adversely impacts the physical and mental health of US young adults. Studies seeking drinking risk factors typically focus on young adults who enrolled in 4-year residential college programs (4YCP) even though most high school graduates join the workforce, military, or community colleges. We examined 106 of these understudied young adults (USYA) and 453 4YCPs from the National Consortium on Alcohol and NeuroDevelopment in Adolescence (NCANDA) by longitudinally following their drinking patterns for 8 years from adolescence to young adulthood. All participants were no-to-low drinkers during high school. Whereas 4YCP individuals were more likely to initiate heavy drinking during college years, USYA participants did so later. Using mental health metrics recorded during high school, machine learning forecasted individual-level risk for initiating heavy drinking after leaving high school. The risk factors differed between demographically matched USYA and 4YCP individuals and between sexes. Predictors for USYA drinkers were sexual abuse, physical abuse for girls, and extraversion for boys, whereas 4YCP drinkers were predicted by the ability to recognize facial emotion and, for boys, greater openness. Thus, alcohol prevention programs need to give special consideration to those joining the workforce, military, or community colleges, who make up the majority of this age group.

  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• National Consortium on Alcohol and NeuroDevelopment in Adolescence (NCANDA): Administrative Resource

  NIH · $5.0M · 2012–2027

• NIH Grant R37AA007033

  NIH · $5.0M · 2011

• NIH Grant R23AA006519

  NIH · $46k · 1986

• NIH Grant R01AA007033

  NIH · $3.5M · 1999

• NIH Grant R01AA012171

  NIH · $8.0M · 2017

Frequent coauthors

• Susan F. Tapert

  University of California, San Diego

  227 shared

• Peter M. Monti

  182 shared

• Mark G. Myers

  University of California System

  163 shared

• John E. Schulenberg

  151 shared

• Jennifer L. Maggs

  Pennsylvania State University

  147 shared

• Barbara S. McCrady

  University of New Mexico

  145 shared

• Jessica M. Cronce

  145 shared

• Rebekka S. Palmer

  145 shared

Labs

• Brown LabPI

Awards & honors

• Past President of Division 50 (Addictions) of the American P…
• Fellow of multiple divisions of the American Psychological A…
• Numerous national awards for research, mentoring and service