A systematic review of neuropsychological studies involving young binge drinkers.

Binge drinking (BD) is a public health concern with serious implications for brain development. This review is
the first in which neuropsychological studies of healthy young BDs are synthesized following PRISMA guidelines.
We conducted a literature search in PsycINFO, Web of Science, and PubMed. Articles were screened using strict
inclusion criteria. Two authors independently assessed the methodological quality. Of the 27 studies included,
14 (52%) were of intermediate quality, 7 (26%) of poor quality and 6 (22%) of high quality. BD is associated
with deficits in verbal memory and executive functions, principally poor inhibitory control. Tentatively, BD may
be related to deficits in cognitive flexibility and monitoring of information in working memory. Further studies
are needed to determine potential impairments in prospective memory and decision-making. BDs do not seem to
show difficulties in planning, short-term memory, attention, processing speed or visuospatial construction. The
evidence does not seem to support greater vulnerability in females. Future longitudinal studies should identify
the characteristics of extreme trajectories, explore recovery deficits and design intervention programs.