Alcohol Can Cause Alterations In The Structure And Function Of The Growing Brain
addiction can trigger changes in the architecture and function of the blossoming brain, which continues to grow into a person's mid 20s, and it might have consequences reaching far beyond adolescence.
In adolescence, brain development is characterized by dramatic changes to the brain's architecture, neuron connectivity ("circuitry"), and physiology. These changes in the brain affect everything from developing sexuality to emotions and cognitive ability.
Not all parts of the juvenile brain mature at the same time, which might put a juvenile at a disadvantage in specific situations. The limbic areas of the brain mature sooner than the frontal lobes.
The way Alcohol Alters the Brain
Alcohol affects a juvenile's brain development in numerous ways. The results of minor alcohol consumption on particular brain activities are detailed below.
Alcohol is a central nervous system sedative. Alcohol can appear to be a stimulant because, to begin with, it suppresses the portion of the human brain that governs inhibitions.
CORTEX-- Alcohol slows down the cortex as it processes details from a person's senses.
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM-- When an individual thinks about something he desires his body to do, the central nervous system-- the brain and the spinal cord-- sends out a signal to that portion of the body. Alcohol hampers the central nervous system, making the person think, converse, and move more slowly.
FRONTAL LOBES -- The human brain's frontal lobes are very important for advanced planning, forming concepts, decision making, and exercising self-discipline.
When alcohol impacts the frontal lobes of the brain, a person might find it difficult to manage his or her emotions and impulses. The person might act without thinking or may even become violent. Drinking alcohol over an extended period of time can damage the frontal lobes forever.
HIPPOCAMPUS-- The hippocampus is the part of the human brain in which memories are generated.
Once alcohol gets to the hippocampus, a person might have trouble recalling a thing she or he just learned, like a person's name or a phone number. This can happen after just a couple of alcoholic beverages.
Drinking a lot of alcohol quickly can trigger a blackout-- not being able to recollect whole events, like what he or she did the night before.
If alcohol injures the hippocampus, an individual may find it hard to learn and to hang on to knowledge.
CEREBELLUM-- The cerebellum is essential for coordination, thoughts, and focus. When alcohol goes into the cerebellum, a person might have difficulty with these skills. After drinking alcohol, an individual's hands might be so tremulous that they cannot touch or get hold of things normally, and they may fail to keep their balance and fall.
Raging Alcoholic
HYPOTHALAMUS-- The hypothalamus is a little part of the brain that does a remarkable number of the physical body's housekeeping tasks. Alcohol frustrates the operation of the hypothalamus. After a person consumes alcohol, blood pressure, hunger, thirst, and the urge to urinate intensify while body temperature and heart rate decrease.
Alcohol actually chills the physical body. Consuming a lot of alcohol outdoors in cold weather conditions can cause a person's body temperature level to drop below normal.
An individual may have trouble with these skills once alcohol gets in the cerebellum. After consuming alcohol, an individual's hands may be so shaky that they cannot touch or grab things properly, and they may fail to keep their equilibrium and tumble.
After an individual drinks alcohol, blood pressure, hunger, thirst, and the desire to urinate increase while physical body temperature levels and heart rate decline.
Alcohol actually chills the body. Drinking a lot of alcohol outdoors in cold weather can trigger an individual's physical body temperature to drop below normal.
In adolescence, brain development is characterized by dramatic changes to the brain's architecture, neuron connectivity ("circuitry"), and physiology. These changes in the brain affect everything from developing sexuality to emotions and cognitive ability.
Not all parts of the juvenile brain mature at the same time, which might put a juvenile at a disadvantage in specific situations. The limbic areas of the brain mature sooner than the frontal lobes.
The way Alcohol Alters the Brain
Alcohol affects a juvenile's brain development in numerous ways. The results of minor alcohol consumption on particular brain activities are detailed below.
Alcohol is a central nervous system sedative. Alcohol can appear to be a stimulant because, to begin with, it suppresses the portion of the human brain that governs inhibitions.
CORTEX-- Alcohol slows down the cortex as it processes details from a person's senses.
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM-- When an individual thinks about something he desires his body to do, the central nervous system-- the brain and the spinal cord-- sends out a signal to that portion of the body. Alcohol hampers the central nervous system, making the person think, converse, and move more slowly.
FRONTAL LOBES -- The human brain's frontal lobes are very important for advanced planning, forming concepts, decision making, and exercising self-discipline.
When alcohol impacts the frontal lobes of the brain, a person might find it difficult to manage his or her emotions and impulses. The person might act without thinking or may even become violent. Drinking alcohol over an extended period of time can damage the frontal lobes forever.
HIPPOCAMPUS-- The hippocampus is the part of the human brain in which memories are generated.
Once alcohol gets to the hippocampus, a person might have trouble recalling a thing she or he just learned, like a person's name or a phone number. This can happen after just a couple of alcoholic beverages.
Drinking a lot of alcohol quickly can trigger a blackout-- not being able to recollect whole events, like what he or she did the night before.
If alcohol injures the hippocampus, an individual may find it hard to learn and to hang on to knowledge.
CEREBELLUM-- The cerebellum is essential for coordination, thoughts, and focus. When alcohol goes into the cerebellum, a person might have difficulty with these skills. After drinking alcohol, an individual's hands might be so tremulous that they cannot touch or get hold of things normally, and they may fail to keep their balance and fall.
Raging Alcoholic
HYPOTHALAMUS-- The hypothalamus is a little part of the brain that does a remarkable number of the physical body's housekeeping tasks. Alcohol frustrates the operation of the hypothalamus. After a person consumes alcohol, blood pressure, hunger, thirst, and the urge to urinate intensify while body temperature and heart rate decrease.
Alcohol actually chills the physical body. Consuming a lot of alcohol outdoors in cold weather conditions can cause a person's body temperature level to drop below normal.
An individual may have trouble with these skills once alcohol gets in the cerebellum. After consuming alcohol, an individual's hands may be so shaky that they cannot touch or grab things properly, and they may fail to keep their equilibrium and tumble.
After an individual drinks alcohol, blood pressure, hunger, thirst, and the desire to urinate increase while physical body temperature levels and heart rate decline.
Alcohol actually chills the body. Drinking a lot of alcohol outdoors in cold weather can trigger an individual's physical body temperature to drop below normal.
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