Alcohol Consumption Can Trigger Alterations In The Architecture And Function Of The Developing Brain
Alcohol can cause changes in the architecture and function of the blossoming brain, which continues to grow into a person's mid 20s, and it may have repercussions reaching far beyond teenage years.
In adolescence, brain growth is identified by dramatic changes to the brain's architecture, neuron connectivity ("circuitry"), and physiology. These transformations in the brain affect everything from developing sexuality to emotionality and judgment.
Not all parts of the adolescent brain mature at the same time, which might put a juvenile at a disadvantage in certain circumstances. The limbic areas of the brain mature earlier than the frontal lobes.
How Alcohol Affects the Human Brain
Alcohol alters a juvenile's brain development in numerous ways. The repercussions of juvenile drinking on particular brain functions are discussed below.
Alcohol is a central nervous system sedative drug. Alcohol can seem to be a stimulant because, initially, it depresses the part of the brain that governs inhibitions.
CORTEX-- Alcohol impedes the cortex as it works with information from a person's senses.
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM-- When a person thinks about something he wants his body to do, the central nervous system-- the brain and the spine-- sends a signal to that portion of the body. Alcohol impedes the central nervous system, making the person think, speak, and move more slowly.
FRONTAL LOBES -- The human brain's frontal lobes are important for planning, creating concepts, decision making, and employing self-discipline.
Once alcohol affects the frontal lobes of the brain, an individual might find it difficult to control his/her emotions and impulses. The person may act without thinking or may even become violent. Drinking alcohol over a long period of time can injure the frontal lobes permanently.
HIPPOCAMPUS-- The hippocampus is the part of the brain in which memories are generated.
When alcohol gets to the hippocampus, a person might have difficulty recalling something he or she just learned, like a person's name or a telephone number. This can occur after just one or two drinks.
Drinking a lot of alcohol rapidly can trigger a blackout-- not being able to recall entire incidents, such as what exactly he or she did last night.
A person might find it hard to learn and to hold on to knowledge if alcohol harms the hippocampus.
CEREBELLUM-- The cerebellum is essential for coordination, ideas, and awareness. When alcohol goes into the cerebellum, an individual may have difficulty with these abilities. After drinking alcohol, an individual's hands might be so unsteady that they can't touch or take hold of things properly, and they might fail to keep their equilibrium and tumble.
HYPOTHALAMUS-- The hypothalamus is a little part of the brain that does a fantastic number of the body's housekeeping tasks. Alcohol frustrates the operation of the hypothalamus. After an individual consumes alcohol, blood pressure, hunger, thirst, and the need to urinate intensify while body temperature level and heart rate decrease.
Alcohol in fact chills the body. Drinking a lot of alcohol outdoors in cold weather conditions can trigger an individual's physical body temperature to drop below normal.
A person might have trouble with these abilities when alcohol gets in the cerebellum. After drinking alcohol, a person's hands may be so tremulous that they can't touch or grab things normally, and they may fail to keep their equilibrium and fall.
After an individual drinks alcohol, blood pressure, appetite, being thirsty, and the desire to urinate increase while physical body temperature and heart rate decrease.
Alcohol actually cools down the physical body. Drinking a lot of alcohol outdoors in cold weather conditions can cause an individual's body temperature level to drop below normal.
In adolescence, brain growth is identified by dramatic changes to the brain's architecture, neuron connectivity ("circuitry"), and physiology. These transformations in the brain affect everything from developing sexuality to emotionality and judgment.
Not all parts of the adolescent brain mature at the same time, which might put a juvenile at a disadvantage in certain circumstances. The limbic areas of the brain mature earlier than the frontal lobes.
How Alcohol Affects the Human Brain
Alcohol alters a juvenile's brain development in numerous ways. The repercussions of juvenile drinking on particular brain functions are discussed below.
Alcohol is a central nervous system sedative drug. Alcohol can seem to be a stimulant because, initially, it depresses the part of the brain that governs inhibitions.
CORTEX-- Alcohol impedes the cortex as it works with information from a person's senses.
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM-- When a person thinks about something he wants his body to do, the central nervous system-- the brain and the spine-- sends a signal to that portion of the body. Alcohol impedes the central nervous system, making the person think, speak, and move more slowly.
FRONTAL LOBES -- The human brain's frontal lobes are important for planning, creating concepts, decision making, and employing self-discipline.
Once alcohol affects the frontal lobes of the brain, an individual might find it difficult to control his/her emotions and impulses. The person may act without thinking or may even become violent. Drinking alcohol over a long period of time can injure the frontal lobes permanently.
HIPPOCAMPUS-- The hippocampus is the part of the brain in which memories are generated.
When alcohol gets to the hippocampus, a person might have difficulty recalling something he or she just learned, like a person's name or a telephone number. This can occur after just one or two drinks.
Drinking a lot of alcohol rapidly can trigger a blackout-- not being able to recall entire incidents, such as what exactly he or she did last night.
A person might find it hard to learn and to hold on to knowledge if alcohol harms the hippocampus.
CEREBELLUM-- The cerebellum is essential for coordination, ideas, and awareness. When alcohol goes into the cerebellum, an individual may have difficulty with these abilities. After drinking alcohol, an individual's hands might be so unsteady that they can't touch or take hold of things properly, and they might fail to keep their equilibrium and tumble.
HYPOTHALAMUS-- The hypothalamus is a little part of the brain that does a fantastic number of the body's housekeeping tasks. Alcohol frustrates the operation of the hypothalamus. After an individual consumes alcohol, blood pressure, hunger, thirst, and the need to urinate intensify while body temperature level and heart rate decrease.
Alcohol in fact chills the body. Drinking a lot of alcohol outdoors in cold weather conditions can trigger an individual's physical body temperature to drop below normal.
A person might have trouble with these abilities when alcohol gets in the cerebellum. After drinking alcohol, a person's hands may be so tremulous that they can't touch or grab things normally, and they may fail to keep their equilibrium and fall.
After an individual drinks alcohol, blood pressure, appetite, being thirsty, and the desire to urinate increase while physical body temperature and heart rate decrease.
Alcohol actually cools down the physical body. Drinking a lot of alcohol outdoors in cold weather conditions can cause an individual's body temperature level to drop below normal.
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