SubscribeAlcohol’s toxic effect on the brain is readily communicated by this MRI scan comparing a normal brain to that of an alcoholic:
As you can see, the alcoholic brain on the right is massively shrunken due to brain cell loss.
While visiting Chicago recently, was reminded just how much alcohol is a part of young people’s lives. As you drive through Wrigleyville, Downtown, Lincoln Park, Andersonville you can’t help but notice bars are everywhere. Unfortunately, when many students drink, they do it to excess- i.e., they binge. What I wish I could tell all students is that the overwhelming amount of research clearly indicates binge drinking is very bad for your brain and will seriously impair your ability to learn and get good grades- both in the short and long term. From a 2007 study that appeared in the European Journal of Neuroscience:
These findings indicate that binge pattern exposure to ethanol during adolescence induces brain damage by inflammatory processes and causes long-lasting neurobehavioural consequences.
Here’s the conclusions from another study looking at binge drinking in young adults [Reference 2 below]:
…differences can be seen in mood and cognitive performance between those that binge drink and those that do no
And it’s not just college students. According to the National Institutes of Health, almost 1 out of 10 Americans meet standard diagnostic criteria for an alcohol use disorder.
The latest bit of alcohol-brain atrophy research comes from Carol Ann Paul (of Wellesley College) and colleagues. They looked at MRI brain scans of 1839 people aged 34 to 88, and their findings (presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 59th Annual Meeting in Boston May 2007) indicate the more you chronically drink, the more your brain volume decreases. The results held true even for moderate drinkers.
According to Carol:
There is a continuous negative correlation between alcohol consumption and total brain volume. It seems that there is not a beneficial effect of even small amounts of alcohol on brain volume.
For an earlier story about how alcohol knocks the teenage brain off its growth trajectory, click here.
Another bit of research released May 10, 2007 reveals alcohol can also induce atrial fibrillation, a very common heart arrhythmia which is a very strong risk factor for strokes.
Reference 1: Paul CA et al. "The Effect of Alcohol Consumption on Total BrainVolume: The Framingham Heart Study." Abstract P05.030, presented May 2.
Reference 2: Townshend JM, Duka T. Binge Drinking, cognitive performance and mood in a population of young social drinkers. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2005 Mar;29(3):317-25.
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[...] Cerveau et alcool mai 25th, 2007 — Ben.P Voici la différence entre un cerveau normal et un cerveau alcoolique. J’ai pris l’image ici, et le lien vers l’image sur Relief. Sur ce dernier blogue, il y a une analyse de la consommation et les adolescents. Posted in Uncategorized. [...]
Dear Dr. R.L. Kaplan,
I’m a 28 year old alcoholic and I have done much binge drinking since I was 16. Is it possible for me to have the brain and intelligence I once had when I was 16 by doing some or all of the brain enhancement techniques listed on this site? A reply will be greatly appreciated and hopefully lift my sunken spirits after reading that article.
Thanks,
Justin
Hi Justin-
couple things to keep in mind:
1) the brain has a tremendous ability to heal itself.
2) This healing potential tends to diminish as you get older; however, a 28 year old brain is still fairly ‘young’, so I would suspect there’s plenty opportunity to improve & heal should you stop drinking
3) yes, many of the techniques mentioned on this site can sharpen your mind and enhance brain fitness
Since it’s almost impossible for one to stop drinking on their own, it really does make sense to see your doctor who can definitely give further help.
Wish you the best, Justin
Thank you, Dr. Kaplan, for your knowledge and understanding. Your input has indeed lifted my spirits(no pun intended) and given me a new incentive to seek help.
-Justin
For the past two weeks I’ve been drinking around 5-15 shots nightly. No, Yes, I was on vacation and no, I’m not an alcoholic (yet) and I am taking a break from drinking (a very long break). Its my third day without a drink and although I definitely feel progress, I still feel like my brain is definitely not working at its normal level. Can I expect to recover to the point where I cannot tell any difference in my cognitive ability. By the way, I’m 19 years old and do not drink like that on a regular basis…it was just a really wild vacation. So what do you think?
Excuse the typos, my keyboard is on the fritz.
Dear Dr. R.L. Kaplan,
I am 21 and I have been binge drinking off and on since i turned 21 back in November. I noticed it has been harder to concentrate in college and in my daily life.
I haven’t had a drink since sunday and i want to quit. if i quit drinking now, does it take time for the brain to recover and how long?
Thank you,
Sam
Sam & SW- Thanks for stopping by. How much permanent damage has already been done? Hard to say.
It does take time for the brain to recover, but at your relatively young ages, significant recovery of function is certainly possible.
Duration for recovery depends on lots of factors: underlying health, age, diet, how long you’ve been drinking alcohol & how much, and hundreds of other lifestyle issues.
I am not an alchoholic just to let you know but I see a skull face in the left picture. weird don’t you say.
sorry. right one