Essay about Alcohol’s Effects on the Brain

Intaking alcohol can be very risky and harmful to the brain. During the teen years or in early adulthood the human brain undergoes a large amount of time of development that is very important. If alcohol is present, it only takes thirty seconds for it to effect the brain and thus it begins to decreases that important development (Shannon). "Alcohol can effect parts of the

Some may think that teenagers are grown up enough and are mature enough to drink alcoholic beverages at the age of eighteen. However, research indicates otherwise. To start off, alcohol is very harmful to the brain. It kills brain cells, and it affects the cerebellum, medulla, hippocampus and many other parts of the brain. It can be seen why alcohol is so dangerous in the article “Alcohol and Developing Brain”. The author says, “Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant. Alcohol can appear to be a stimulant because, initially, it depresses the part of the brain that controls inhibitions” (toosmarttostart.samhsa.gov). Since

drinking can have harmful effects on a developing brain (“Dangers of Teen Drinking” FTC). As

The brain is a crucial area in psychological development. Although the entire organ can be affected the frontal lobes which are responsible for a “higher level” of thinking are most affected. Higher level of thinking can be planning, decision making, and judgement. The other important area of the brain affected is the hippocampus which is a crucial area of learning. People who have severe damage to this part of the brain are unable to retain any new information and have a hard time remembering what they just learned. However, they can still retrieve old memories. When these two areas of the brain are affected because of alcohol consumption, students are unable to be successful in school. Data form several national studies indicate that drinking and academic impairment are associated (Engs et al., 1996; Perkins, 1992; Presley et al., 1996a,b; Wechsler et al., 1994, 1998,2000b). Students that once had a high GPA get lower grades after consuming

If a person begins heavy episodic drinking at the age of 12 the behavior increases to 50.5% by the age of 21 and 22 years old. Those of who attended college did not drink as much in adolescents but surpasses the non-college in overall alcohol use and shows a higher genetic influence. The cortical gray and white matter shows changes during normal development. There appears to be improvement in executive function in the frontal lobe, this includes improvement in the white matter connectivity between cortical and subcortical brain regions. The college-age drinker appears to overestimate the amount alcohol is in a standard drink. A biological consequence of heavy drinking includes deficits in memory retention. They used positive family history

Nearly 25 percent of teens drink alcohol because they think it is fun; however the problems it may bring are not so fun (Hyde 22). There over six times more teen deaths per year from alcohol than any other drug (O’Malley 30). Alcohol affects the body of teens as well as all of the developmental processes. A major issue of teens drinking is that it increases the chance of becoming an alcoholic in the future; which leads to lowered self-control, impaired judgment, and lowered inhibition (Heath 12). Alcohol can completely change the life of a teen from the time they start drinking till death. Alcohol affects so many aspects of a person’s life and once it does, it is so hard to get life back to normal. Alcohol effects teens by harming them

In addition, the group will include both alcoholic and non-alcoholic individuals to understand the process of deterioration of cognitive functions. The inclusion of the two groups will provide an elaborate means of undertaking a comparative analysis of the effects of alcohol consumption on cognitive function.

The drinking habit is ubiquitous in human societies, and notable for the best and worst reasons. More and more evidence that documents the effects of alcohol on the human organism continues to be gathered by scientists. As is usual with prolific research about one specific subject, there are some surprising and seemingly counterintuitive findings that leave scientists scratching their heads in confusion. One of the unexpected discoveries about the effects of alcohol is the seeming improvement of memory recall of recently learned information (specifically before the drinking event). This ironic observation contrasts with the prevailing literature documenting the detrimental effects of the substance to neurological health.

There is mounting evidence that repeated exposure to alcohol during adolescence leads to long-lasting deficits in cognitive abilities, including learning and memory, in humans. The ages 15 and 16 years old in in-patient treatment for alcohol-dependence perform more poorly on test of memory and attention than healthy control subjects from the surrounding community.

The expansion of liquor does not help the circumstances. The vicinity of the liquor impedes the cerebrum. When a teen devours liquor, it has a huge impact on their mental health. A teenager’s cerebrum, while it is, no doubt created, even in their twenties can appropriate numerous issues. Researchers have found the use of alcohol can lessen the span of the hippocampus, the part of the brain that controls the memory and storing of information (Perin 2012). The utilization of alcohol can have an impact on a teenager’s academic and learning process. It causes a lack of attention in school. If they have maintained good grades during childhood, once alcohol gets involved, their grades start dropping. Usually the student would sleep in class, be hung-over from the night before, or have the attitude that they just don’t care. This is added weight to any circumstances happening with teens. The utilization of alcohol during high school years may stop a teen’s capacity to utilize their psyches to its fullest potential.

As far as Devinski’s concerns regarding how the chemicals impact various brain functions such as thinking, memory, and concentration, each one of those could also be affected by consuming alcohol.

According to NIH, the cerebellum, limbic system, and the cerebral cortex are the three areas of the brain that are most affected by alcohol. The cerebellum is the area of the human brain that controls a person’s coordination. When a person is intoxicated, damage to the cerebellum causes loss in balance and emotional response is altered (NIH, 2010). In addition, the limbic system of the brain is responsible to store a person’s memory, yet it is also greatly affected when alcohol is consumed. Furthermore, the cerebral cortex is the area of the brain that gives a human the ability to think, behave intelligently, and interact socially. When a

Alcohol is shown to be bad for the brain. It can potentially cause brain damage because of its toxic effect on the central nervous system, interference with the absorption of vitamin B1 and, of course, the dehydration which may lead to wastage of brain cells. These factors can cause problems with memory loss, cognitive function and physical coordination. A good example of loss in cognitive function and physical coordination is shown by a study, which compared the risks of participating in a car accident with the main factors being drunk and on the other hand, being high.

The brain is a unique part of the human body. Researchers are finding new information regarding it, everyday. When alcohol is consumed, it disrupts the normal function of the brain and its effect on decision making. Consuming alcohol affects how neurons send off messages. Specifically, the glutamate in alcohol “infiltrates the glutamate receptors in your synapses, hurting their ability to send off their normal "fire" messages.” (What Alcohol Actually Does to Your Brain and Body). This occurrence affects a person’s muscle control, speech, coordination, and judgement. (What Alcohol Actually Does to Your Brain and Body).

Along with the negative health effects, teenagers are beginning to drink earlier and it is affecting them in big ways. The perception of alcohol is greatly blurred when it comes to teenagers. Commercials and the media glorify alcohol, almost putting it on a pedestal. Teenagers are exposed to it on an almost daily basis and they in turn are starting to drink during their early teen years. With many developmental changes occurring in adolescence, the thought of alcohol abuse can be alarming. Despite the possible negative affects, there is very little study done on the subject (Arna 1). Adolescent health and alcohol use is not thoroughly researched, despite being a large problem. The reason for lack of evidence on the subject is that the problem is so widespread and there are not many adolescents that will admit to drinking, or even ask their doctor what affects alcohol has on them. With that being said, the little experimental evidence of the effects of adolescent alcohol use gives an idea of the problem at hand. Kids who drink in