A study shows an alteration in resting brain activity in young people who indulge in binge-drinking.
The damage of binge-drinking is confirmed. Study shows the impact of binge drinking on the brains of young people. Published in the journal Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscienceresearch suggests that severe one-time alcohol addiction (API) could cause brain damage and thus alter brain activity.
The research was carried out on 80 Spanish students. The aim was to assess the cerebral effects of binge drinking on the resting brain, compared to students who never drink.
Difficulty processing information
“A number of studies have evaluated the effects of binge-drinking in young adults during different cognitive tasks such as working memory and attention,” the authors explain. There are hardly any studies, however, that assess the brains of drinkers while at rest, without them focusing on a task. “
The young people were divided into two groups: the binge-drinkers, who had at least one episode of API during the month, and the others, who did not drink this way. Electrodes were attached to the scalp of the participants to assess electrical activity in different regions of the brain.
The results showed that, compared to people who had never drunk too much, the brain activity of binge-drinkers was altered at rest. The result of the electroencephalogram suggests that the subjects register a weakened capacity to respond to external stimuli and potential difficulties in processing information.
White matter loss
Previous work has already shown the impact of express bitures on the brains of young people. In 2016, a study published in Addiction Biology revealed that APIs cause losses in white matter density, which connect different regions of the brain and transmit messages between nerve cells. This resulted in less neural connectivity.
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