What is the effect of alcohol on the brain?

Short-term effects

• Impaired cognitive function: Alcohol affects attention, memory, and decision-making skills
• Mood changes: Alcohol can induce feelings of euphoria, relaxation, or aggression
• Cerebellar mediated damage:
  • Coordination and balance: Alcohol damages the cerebellum, impairing motor skills, and leading to clumsiness and increased risk of accidents
  • Slurred speech: Alcohol affects speech centres in the brain.

Long-term effects

Physical health

• Brain shrinkage: Chronic alcohol consumption can lead to reduced brain volume
• Neurotransmitter imbalance: Alcohol affects how brain chemicals called ‘neurotransmitters’ work. The main neurotransmitters affected by alcohol are GABA and Glutamate. These work in opposite ways.
  • GABA ‘calms’ the brain and body. Alcohol increases the effect of GABA, so at low levels alcohol can make you feel calmer, or less anxious.
  • Glutamate ‘stimulates’ the brain and body. Alcohol decreases the effect of Glutamate, so drinking alcohol can make you feel less alert.
• Alcohol-related dementia: Excessive alcohol consumption causes a specific type of dementia and cognitive decline
• Cerebellar-mediated damage: Longterm difficulty with coordination and balance
• Wernicke’s encephalopathy: a serious neurological condition caused by a deficiency of thiamine (vitamin B1), often linked to chronic alcohol abuse, leading to symptoms like confusion, ataxia, and eye movement problems, potentially progressing to Korsakoff syndrome if left untreated.

Mental health

• Dependence and addiction: Repeated exposure to alcohol can lead to physical dependence and addiction
• Korsakoff syndrome (or psychosis): a chronic memory disorder caused by a severe deficiency of thiamine (vitamin B1), often linked to alcohol abuse, leading to memory loss, difficulty learning new information, and confabulation (making up stories to fill memory gaps).

Withdrawal and recovery

• Withdrawal symptoms: Stopping or reducing alcohol consumption can lead to symptoms like tremors, anxiety, and seizures. This is sometimes called ‘DTs’ (delerium tremens)
• Recovery and neuroplasticity: Abstinence from alcohol can lead to some recovery of brain function and structure.