Alcohol and the Brain
It was very sad to watch different troll videos on YouTube regarding people who are so-called “Madhu priyargal”. So, I thought let me write something, as I am working in the neuroradiology domain, but nothing related to alcohol nor addictive syndrome.
Alcoholic beverages contain ethanol, a psychoactive drug with relaxant and euphoric effects, consumed by people throughout the world. The major outward appearances of the syndrome are as follows: Coordination loss (loss of balance), falling, slurred speech, inhibition loss (loss of self-consciousness), vomiting.
Risk: for Men - consuming more than 14 drinks per week or more than four drinks in a single day at least once a month;
for women, the limits are more than seven drinks per week and three drinks per day
Brain changes
Hippocampus (a region responsible for memory). Research studies on the effect of alcohol use on the human brain had shown smaller hippocampus volume compared to controls (non_alcoholic). Moreover, they also found an association between longer exposure of alcohol at a very young age and hippocampus volume i.e more the exposure of alcohol, much smaller the hippocampus region (ref, De Bellis et al., 2000, Nagel et al., 2005).
The prefrontal cortex (a region responsible for higher-order executive functioning, emotional regulation, integration of novel stimuli, and cognitive flexibility). In adolescents, the prefrontal volume was reported smaller in alcohol-consuming adolescents compared to normal age-matched healthy controls, because this region of the brain continues to develop throughout adolescence and young adulthood (ages 13 to 21). Similarly in adults, heavy alcohol use was also associated with smaller prefrontal cortex (ref, Pfefferbaum et al., 1997, De Bellis et al., 2005).
Cerebellum (a region responsible for both motor and cognitive functions). In adolescents and teens, it was also found that alcohol had an impact on the structure of the cerebellum (the smaller volume) (ref, Lisdahl et al., 2013).
I have just mentioned only a few major brain regions that are impacted because of alcoholism. I thought this will help someone to explain the friends or family members who are addicted to alcohol.
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Alcoholic beverages contain ethanol, a psychoactive drug with relaxant and euphoric effects, consumed by people throughout the world. The major outward appearances of the syndrome are as follows: Coordination loss (loss of balance), falling, slurred speech, inhibition loss (loss of self-consciousness), vomiting.
Risk: for Men - consuming more than 14 drinks per week or more than four drinks in a single day at least once a month;
for women, the limits are more than seven drinks per week and three drinks per day
Brain changes
Hippocampus (a region responsible for memory). Research studies on the effect of alcohol use on the human brain had shown smaller hippocampus volume compared to controls (non_alcoholic). Moreover, they also found an association between longer exposure of alcohol at a very young age and hippocampus volume i.e more the exposure of alcohol, much smaller the hippocampus region (ref, De Bellis et al., 2000, Nagel et al., 2005).
The prefrontal cortex (a region responsible for higher-order executive functioning, emotional regulation, integration of novel stimuli, and cognitive flexibility). In adolescents, the prefrontal volume was reported smaller in alcohol-consuming adolescents compared to normal age-matched healthy controls, because this region of the brain continues to develop throughout adolescence and young adulthood (ages 13 to 21). Similarly in adults, heavy alcohol use was also associated with smaller prefrontal cortex (ref, Pfefferbaum et al., 1997, De Bellis et al., 2005).
Cerebellum (a region responsible for both motor and cognitive functions). In adolescents and teens, it was also found that alcohol had an impact on the structure of the cerebellum (the smaller volume) (ref, Lisdahl et al., 2013).
I have just mentioned only a few major brain regions that are impacted because of alcoholism. I thought this will help someone to explain the friends or family members who are addicted to alcohol.
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