Alcohol & The Brain
Alcohol & The Brain
Alcohol can improve your confidence but it also slows reactions and reduces your ability to think, reason and remember. These short-term symptoms generally pass once we sober up, but long-term heavy drinking can bring about more serious changes in our brains.
Alcohol-related brain damage (ARBD)
Alcohol-related brain damage (ARBD) is an umbrella term for the damage that can happen to the brain as a result of long-term heavy drinking. It is sometimes known as ‘wet brain’ or by the name of one of the most well-known forms of the condition, Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome.
ARBD occurs because, over time, drinking too much alcohol can change the physical shape and structure of the brain. These changes are the result of the toxic effects of alcohol and a lack of Vitamin B1 (thiamine). Vitamin deficiency is a common problem for long-term heavy drinkers, as alcohol stops the body absorbing some vitamins properly.
The symptoms of ARBD may include:
- Altered personality and volatile moods
- Difficulty thinking, learning and remembering
- Confabulation – filling gaps in memories with irrelevant or inaccurate information
- Problems controlling impulses, leading to inappropriate or offensive behaviour
- Balance problems
- Loss of coordination
- Abnormal eye movements
Studies also show that alcohol misuse increases the risk of early onset dementia, Alzheimer’s Disease and vascular dementia.
Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome
If you drink alcohol heavily for a long time, you may have both mental and physical problems when you stop or drastically cut back on how much you drink. Symptoms of alcohol withdrawal
can range from mild to serious and can sometimes be confused with hangover symptoms which is potentially dangerous.
Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome causes and its effect on the brain
Alcohol disrupts the normal levels of certain neurotransmitters in the brain (dopamine and gamma-aminobutyric acid both increase). The more the brain becomes accustomed to the artificial levels, the more it will rely on alcohol to keep these levels stable.
When this happens, your central nervous system can no longer adapt easily to a lack of alcohol. If you suddenly stop drinking or significantly reduce the amount of alcohol you drink, it can cause Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome
– read more about its symptoms here.
To avoid these impacts, it is important to stick to the low-risk drinking guidelines. Not sure if your drinking is putting your health at risk? Check your drinking by taking the Alcohol Test
today – it is completely confidential and only takes a couple of minutes.
Alcohol can also affect our mental health, increasing anxiety, altering moods and disturbing sleep. Read more about alcohol’s affect on mental health here.
Want to know how risky your drinking is?
Alcohol can have a big impact on your health - take the test to see how your drinking measures up.
The service is free and open to all Brent residents aged 18 or over, as well as their families and carers.
