How bad does alcohol damage the brain?

[Excelsius]

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neurogenesis is not studied that much? this is why the OP needs to stop asking SDN questions and needs to look to more reliable sources such as peer reviewed journals

adult neurogenesis has been a well known occurence since the 1960s ever since Joseph Altman used thiamine autoradiography to track cell genesis and these studies were followed up by many others to confirm neurogenesis. it is a well-known fact that neurogenesis is an active process which begins in the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus and in the subventricular zone of the lateral ventricles. and that these cells then migrate and differentiate into new neurons.
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Thanks for the textbook, pre-med response. Just a few notes: 1. Adult neurogenesis did NOT get accepted into mainstream science until almost 2000 - it is a recent phenomenon in terms of being accepted by most scientists and there are some scientists to this day who do not believe the data are accurate. You may have had even some teachers in NS like that. 2. It is has not been studied as rigorously as other phenomena of the brain. For now, adult neurogenesis seems to be limited mainly to the olfactory bulb and the hippocampus. Let me also remind you that the sense of smell, emotion, and long term memory do not translate into intelligence. Until a major paradigm shift, you can assume that you are generally born with a fixed number of neurons. This includes post-natal neurogenesis since it is not limited only to the fetus, but in any case, the word "adult" automatically precludes the first few years of life, so...

 

[RySerr21]

OP, haven't you heard of the "Buffalo Theory"?

Just like the weakest and oldest buffalo are the first to be picked off, when I drink, only my weak and old brain cells are killed, leaving only the strongest, smartest brain cells.

Drinking alcohol, therefore, makes my brain stronger overall and makes me smarter! 😀

Survival of the fittest strikes again.

Exactly. The same logic goes when talking about your liver. Alcohol is good for your liver b/c it makes it work harder so in reality it is just making it stronger.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

More than 100,000 U.S. deaths are caused by excessive alcohol consumption each year. Direct and indirect causes of death include drunk driving, cirrhosis of the liver, falls, cancer, and stroke.

Even used responsibly, alcohol will significantly shorten your lifespan.

Idk about it shortening your lifespan if you use it responsibly, but I do think all Drunk drivers should be lined up next to a big pit and executed Holocaust style.

Just my opinion...take it or leave it.

 

[gonj]

Ha, sorry for my BAD language. English is my second language....damn.

Anyways, yeah I have been drinking quite a bit lately. The liver is pretty large that it takes a person to minimally drink DAILY for 10 years in order for it to do enough damage to the liver to start having problems. I am only worried for memory.

Take your vitamins, esp B1, btwn your out of control binges to avoid the Wernicke-Korsakoff. There, is that the confirmation you want?

 

[redsquareblack]

Take your vitamins, esp B1, btwn your out of control binges to avoid the Wernicke-Korsakoff. There, is that the confirmation you want?

Really? Unless this guy starts skipping meals to concentrate on his drinking, I don't think WK is a concern. Like, at all.

More immediate concern? It's hard to study effectively if you drink a lot.

 

[ch0sen1]

OP, haven't you heard of the "Buffalo Theory"?

Just like the weakest and oldest buffalo are the first to be picked off, when I drink, only my weak and old brain cells are killed, leaving only the strongest, smartest brain cells.

Drinking alcohol, therefore, makes my brain stronger overall and makes me smarter! 😀

Survival of the fittest strikes again.

LOL. To be honest, ever since last year when I started drinking, I have been doing so much better in school. Straight A's, getting much farther in research and on my projects, etc... I feel 100 times smarter and farther ahead than I was last year, but at the same time, I have been noticing that I am more prone to forgetting where I had left my keys, or who I went and ate lunch with last tuesday for example (when I had never ever had such problems). So it is kind of strange.

 

[RySerr21]

The damage has not been done yet. Chances are that these kids were not exposed to alcohol when their brains were developing. HOWEVER, they are exposing their brain to alcohol BEFORE the brain IS finished developing. Check back in with the same folks in 20 years and see how addicted they are to alcohol and even ask them all if they have a DUI.

i said it was funny, not that it should be taken seriously as some sort of profound insight/newly found scientific knowledge. Relax. And yes I'm sure everyone that enjoys themselves/drinks moderately-heavily in college will become an alcoholic and/or be arrested for a DUI. (sarcasm)

 

[koffein]

I have a very simple suggestion to anyone who is worried about using EtOH:
use cannabis instead.

If you use it as frequently as you would use EtOH, you will have nothing to worry about. In response to any anti-smoking comments (even though the amount of smoke would be minimal) - cooking and vaporizing are alternatives.

 

[gonj]

Really? Unless this guy starts skipping meals to concentrate on his drinking, I don't think WK is a concern. Like, at all.

More immediate concern? It's hard to study effectively if you drink a lot.

Yeah, but since OP is concerned only about memory and alluded to WK, I just gave it a name and the related issue. I'm subtle that way.

 

[Gut Shot]

I feel 100 times smarter and farther ahead than I was last year, but at the same time, I have been noticing that I am more prone to forgetting where I had left my keys, or who I went and ate lunch with last tuesday for example (when I had never ever had such problems). So it is kind of strange.

When you're in M1 and M2 years of medical school you will be required to exert enormous focus to study for prolonged periods. You will absorb ungodly amounts of material, the likes of which you never thought possible. As bookworms go, you will be a total badass.

The catch is that all non-essential brain function will wither. Directions, appointments, what day it is, where you parked, etc. will all become neuronal hash. You will be a really smart idiot, able to wax poetic about Coxiella granulomata, but unable to match your socks or put your boxers on rightside out.

Have fun!

 

[AtheGre]

LOL. To be honest, ever since last year when I started drinking, I have been doing so much better in school. Straight A's, getting much farther in research and on my projects, etc... I feel 100 times smarter and farther ahead than I was last year

Then drink more! If you drink and you realize that you're getting smarter from it, then drinking more will make you even smarter, right?

When I took the MCAT, I swore off drinking until I took the exam. Realizing how mentally acute I was at that point in my life has made me cut down on my drinking significantly. I used to drink to get drunk and 'have a good time', but more and more I realized that getting drunk and having meaningless interactions with people was not so much fun. But I've graduated from college already. I still go out with friends and drink a little, but not the 'get drunk and wake up to a not so stunning lady in my bed', kind of drinking that was so typical during undergrad. I did my fair share of drinking in undergrad. Make sure you get all of that **** out of system in college, because it will become less and less of a factor in your social life as you get older. At least that's been the case for me.

So, does drinking alcohol damage the brain? Sure. How? I don't know. If you're still in college, then who cares...live it up but get good grades, because the road ahead will be long and hard.


AtG

 

[thegetupkid]

Even used responsibly, alcohol will significantly shorten your lifespan.

Life would only seem significantly longer...

 

[Slack3r]

The damage has not been done yet. Chances are that these kids were not exposed to alcohol when their brains were developing. HOWEVER, they are exposing their brain to alcohol BEFORE the brain IS finished developing. Check back in with the same folks in 20 years and see how addicted they are to alcohol and even ask them all if they have a DUI.

Rofl? Where do you people get this stuff? Because everyone that drank in college is a raging alcoholic by 40, eh? 🙄

 

[Quix]

Korsakoff's!
Early-onset dementia!
And, my personal favorite, hepatic encephalopathy!

I had a patient in geropsych who drank herself into a form of Alzheimer-esque dementia in her fifties, and her family tried to bring her beer on the unit!

👍

 

[BlueElmo]

Okay, how about aspartame? I drink way too much diet soda a day. Do you guys think aspartame could be bad for your brain/intelligence/memory?

 

[DrYoda]

Okay, how about aspartame? I drink way too much diet soda a day. Do you guys think aspartame could be bad for your brain/intelligence/memory?

An interesting question(to which I can offer no educated answer).

Personally I'm concerned about my caffeine intake, but I think the Vodka negates it.

 

[TMP-SMX]

Aspartame consumed in small quantities is fine. Though I don't like drinking any diet pop. What's the point? In fact I don't drink pop at all except the occasional one during lunch when I don't get tea or something like that. Yes pop (I'm from Michigan).

 

[TheGromble]

If YOU are worried about it, why are you asking us? It's the same thing Sartre said about going to a priest. If you go to a priest for advice, you already know which way you are leaning. Go easy on the sauce for yourself, guy. Not because you think you are worried about this brain thing, which is actually the thing asking for help.

/Holy Philosophy, Batman

 

[TehDoc]

gaba gaba gaba gaba

 

[Dissected]

You either don't know Russian that well or completely rely on a third party source. It does mean water. You can't go to a dictionary and expect to get the right answer all the time. I'll just say that the relationship of "voda" to "vodka" is the same as "abuelo" to "abuelito." It is not as explainable in English.

they are diminutives..but if you go up to a russian and ask for vodka he's going to take you straight to the liquor, whereas asking for voda will get you a glass or water. I see your point though about what its derivative implies...they do drink vodka like water over there, and its actually cheaper to buy a bottle of the stuff than a bottle of water the same size at a grocery store (at least where I was). That made for some fun times 😀

 

[binko]

Aspartame turns to formaldahyde when heated, or?

And I think it's at some ridiculously low temp like 108 ˚F

 

[redsquareblack]

Aspartame turns to formaldahyde when heated, or?

And I think it's at some ridiculously low temp like 108 ˚F

Sigh...

 

[GoldShadow]

So chemical addictions don't start with exposure? Wow. The textbooks and research findings have been wrong for years and years I guess.

You are either a decent troll, or the greatest idiot that ever lived. I'm leaning toward the former. 👍

 

[parafilm]

I don't think I'd be this far in my education if it weren't for my steady diet of booze, diet coke, and red bull.

I expect to pay for it in about 5 to 10 years.

 

[Depakote]

When you're in M1 and M2 years of medical school you will be required to exert enormous focus to study for prolonged periods. You will absorb ungodly amounts of material, the likes of which you never thought possible. As bookworms go, you will be a total badass.

The catch is that all non-essential brain function will wither. Directions, appointments, what day it is, where you parked, etc. will all become neuronal hash. You will be a really smart idiot, able to wax poetic about Coxiella granulomata, but unable to match your socks or put your boxers on rightside out.

Have fun!

So true...
😆



🙂

😳



🙁

:cry:

 

[Dissected]

Personally I'm concerned about my caffeine intake, but I think the Vodka negates it.

They cancel each other out, just maintain a healthy balance.

 

[binko]

Sigh...

Yeah, I forgot to mention this is binko's derrier talking, signed in on binko's account.

Also, It irritates me that if you try to write "∆ss" it censors it with the wrong number of stars.

 

[Slack3r]

So chemical addictions don't start with exposure?

I guess. But the assumption that everyone that drinks in college will eventually become an alcoholic is still false. Stating that an alcoholic must be exposed to alcohol at one point or another is not only painfully obvious, but irrelevant. Wait! You can't become an alcoholic if you never try alcohol?!!?! STOP THE PRESSES! WE'VE UNCOVERED SOME REAL SCIENCE HERE!

From the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism:

Eighty-three percent of college students drink, and 41 percent report drinking five or more drinks on an occasion in the past 2 weeks

We should see an awful lot of alcoholics, then...at least by your reasoning.

Unfortunately, that's not the case:

From the US Dept. of Health and Human Services:

Approximately 14 million Americans—7.4 percent of the population —meet the diagnostic criteria for alcohol abuse or alcoholism.

Also:

The highest prevalence of both binge and heavy drinking in 2001 was for young adults aged 18 to 25, with the peak rate occurring at age 21. The rate of binge drinking was 38.7 percent for young adults and 48.2 percent at age 21. Heavy alcohol use was reported by 13.6 percent of persons aged 18 to 25, and by 17.8 percent of persons aged 21. Binge and heavy alcohol use rates decreased faster with increasing age than did rates of past month alcohol use. While 55.2 percent of the population aged 45 to 49 in 2001 were current drinkers, 19.1 percent of persons within this age range binge drank and 5.4 percent drank heavily. Binge and heavy drinking were relatively rare among people aged 65 or older, with reported rates of 5.8 and 1.4 percent, respectively.

So I'd say, yet again, that it's not a valid argument to to state that everyone that drinks in college will continue their patterns of alcohol use later in life.