Heavy Drinking Alters Brain in Adolescents

For young people whose brain is still developing, heavy alcohol use may be more detrimental than previously thought, according to a new study from the University of Eastern Finland and Kuopio University Hospital. 

The study, which was published in Addiction Biology, followed 27 adolescents who had been heavy drinkers throughout their adolescence, as well as 25 participants with little or no alcohol use. At the onset of the study, the participants were 13 to 18 years old. 

They found that long-term heavy use of alcohol in adolescence alters brain activity, namely the function of the GABA neurotransmission system. GABA plays a key role in anxiety, depression and the pathogenesis of several neurological disorders. The adolescents’ brain activity was analyzed using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) combined with simultaneous electroencephalogram (EEG) recording.

Researchers say that the findings warrant two questions: Whether the diagnostic criteria for substance use disorders should be tighter for adolescents and whether they should be more easily referred to treatment. 

Long-Term Alcohol Use and Your Health

Although the negative effects often take time to manifest, heavy drinking has been found to wreak havoc on many parts of the body beyond the brain – causing well over 60 diseases, according to researchers. Here are a few of the more common health conditions linked with the abuse of alcohol:  

• Anemia
• Cancer
• Cardiovascular disease
• Cirrhosis
• Dementia
• Depression
• Erectile Dysfunction
• Gout
• Heart Attack
• High blood pressure
• Infectious disease, including tuberculosis, pneumonia, HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases
• Nerve damage
• Pancreatitis
• Seizures
• Stroke

Alcohol Abuse Help for You or Your Loved One

Young adults make up 31.5 percent of alcoholics, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAA). Hope Academy's safe and supportive environment is ideal for teens and young adults to share their concerns, set  sobriety goals, and begin the road to recovery. To learn more, call 866-930-4673.

Do You Know the Health Risks of Chronic Heavy Drinking?

Beyond leading to dependence, drinking too much alcohol can have serious consequences for your health. Alcohol abuse can damage organs, weaken the immune system, and contribute to cancers, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAA). In fact, researchers have linked alcohol consumption to more than 60 diseases.

Alcohol Abuse and Your Body
Chronic heavy drinking can lead to a variety of health conditions, including:

• Anemia: Heavy drinking lowers your red blood cells. 
• Cancer: Mouth, pharynx (throat), larynx (voice box), esophagus, liver, breast, and colorectal cancer have all been linked to alcohol use – and these risks are even higher among smokers.
• Cardiovascular disease: Binge drinking causes platelets to clump into blood clots – and this can lead to stroke or heart attack. 
• Cirrhosis: Alcohol is toxic to liver cells, and can severely scar the liver, making it unable to function.
• Dementia: Heavy drinking speeds up the shrinkage of key regions in the brain responsible for memory.
• Depression: While it’s still unknown whether drinking or depression comes first, the conditions are undisputedly linked. Depressed people often self-medicate with alcohol and heavy drinking has been study-proven to lead to depression.
• Gout: Family history is a major risk factor but alcohol and poor nutrition play a big role, too. 
• High blood pressure: Binge drinking can cause blood pressure to rise. 
• Infectious disease: Heavy drinking suppresses your immune system and this can lead to a host of infections, including tuberculosis, pneumonia, HIV/AIDS, and other sexually transmitted diseases.
• Nerve damage: Alcohol abuse can cause alcoholic neuropathy, a form of nerve damage that can result in symptoms including the feeling of painful pins and needles or numbness in the extremities, muscle weakness, incontinence, constipation, and erectile dysfunction.
• Pancreatitis: Up to 60% of cases of chronic pancreatitis stem from alcohol consumption; heavy drinking inflames the pancreas and causes stomach irritation.
• Seizures: Heavy drinking can cause epilepsy and can even trigger seizures in people without the neurological disorder.

Getting Help for Alcohol Abuse

According to the NIAAA, the young adult subgroup makes up 31.5% of alcoholics. At Hope Academy, we provide a safe environment in which teens and young adults feel comfortable sharing their concerns and setting sobriety goals. To learn more, call 866-930-4673.