Binge Drinking Significantly Harms Cognitive Development

Studies show that binge drinking can drastically harm the brain. Yet now, recent findings published in The Journal of Neuroscience also show that binge drinking can dramatically cause key changes in the organ, linking to memory deficits that will continually worsen as the affected individual ages.

"Our study provides novel data demonstrating that alcohol drinking early in adolescence causes lasting myelin deficits in the prefrontal cortex. These findings suggest that alcohol may negatively affect brain development in humans and have long-term consequences on areas of the brain that are important for controlling impulses and making decisions," said researcher Heather Richardson, in a news release.

For the study, researchers divided a team of young male rats into two groups: one that received sweetened water and another that received sweetened alcohol for up to two weeks.

Findings revealed that the animals that consumed alcohol showed reduced myelin levels in the prefrontal cortex-an area of the brain that's linked to complex cognitive behaviors, personality expression and memory.

Researchers also examined the rats' cognitive abilities, particularly in the group that had received alcohol. The extent of the problem was proportional to the amount of alcohol consumed over a two week period.

Researchers note that high exposure of alcohol, particularly during adolescence, could inflict permanent damage on nerve fibers in the brain related to cognitive functioning.

However, further research is needed to determine the exact extent of the damage.