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It is often argued that there is no harm in ‘drinking a little’, but recent research is telling a different story. According to a report in Zee News, alcohol consumption deeply affects not only your liver but also the functioning and structure of your brain. Scientists have found that alcohol has the greatest impact on those parts of the brain that are involved in decision making and controlling emotions.

Attack on the ‘grey matter’ of the brain

According to research, regular consumption of alcohol reduces the density of ‘gray matter’ of the brain. Gray matter is the part of the brain where information is processed. When its quantity is low, a person’s memory becomes weak and his ability to learn new things is adversely affected. Drinking alcohol for a long time causes the brain to ‘shrink’, which is called ‘brain atrophy’ in medical language.

Circulatory disturbances: the game of neurotransmitters

Our brain sends messages through chemicals, which are called neurotransmitters. Alcohol disrupts the balance of these chemicals:

• GABA: Alcohol increases the effects of GABA, causing the body to become sluggish and speech to stammer.

• Glutamate: This is a chemical that keeps the brain active, which alcohol suppresses. This is the reason why the response time of a person under the influence of alcohol becomes slow.

Changes in behavior and ‘blackouts’

Alcohol affects the hippocampus, the part of the brain that is responsible for forming memories. Excessive consumption causes a state of ‘blackout’, where the person does not remember anything afterwards despite being conscious. Additionally, it dulls the prefrontal cortex, causing the person to lose control over their emotions and behave aggressively or abnormally.

Can these damages be fixed?

The good news is that our brains have the ability to repair themselves due to ‘neuroplasticity’. If alcohol consumption is stopped completely, brain function starts improving within a few weeks or months. However, some of the damage caused by excessive consumption over years may be permanent. Therefore, staying away from alcohol is the wisest decision for mental health and a sharp mind.