Alcohol consumption can cause changes in the structure and function of the growing brain, which continues to mature into an individual's mid 20s, and it may have consequences reaching far beyond adolescence.
In adolescence, brain growth is defined by dramatic changes to the brain's architecture, neural connections ("circuitry"), and physiology. These transformations in the brain alter everything from developing sexuality to emotionality and judgment.
Not all parts of the juvenile brain mature at the exact same time, which might put an adolescent at a disadvantage in certain scenarios. The limbic areas of the brain mature earlier than the frontal lobes.
Ways Alcohol Affects the Human Brain Alcohol alters a juvenile's brain growth in many ways. The results of underage drinking on particular brain activities are explained below. Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant. Alcohol can seem to be a stimulant because, before anything else, it suppresses the part of the human brain that controls inhibitions.
CORTEX-- Alcohol slows down the cortex as it works with details from a person's senses.
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM-- When an individual thinks of something he desires his body to do, the central nervous system-- the brain and the spine-- sends a signal to that part of the body. Alcohol hampers the central nervous system, making the person think, converse, and move less quickly.
FRONTAL LOBES -- The brain's frontal lobes are very important for organizing, forming concepts, decision making, and using self-discipline.
Once alcohol impairs the frontal lobes of the brain, an individual may find it tough to control his or her emotions and urges. The person might act without thinking or might even get violent. Consuming alcohol over a long period of time can injure the frontal lobes permanently.
HIPPOCAMPUS-- The hippocampus is the portion of the human brain where memories are created. Once alcohol reaches the hippocampus, an individual may have trouble recalling something he or she just learned, such as a person's name or a phone number. This can happen after just one or two alcoholic beverages. Drinking a lot of alcohol quickly can trigger a blackout-- not being able to recollect whole incidents, like what exactly he or she did last night. If alcohol damages the hippocampus, an individual might find it hard to learn and to hang on to information.
CEREBELLUM-- The cerebellum is important for coordination, thoughts, and attention. When alcohol enters the cerebellum, a person might have difficulty with these abilities. After consuming alcohol, an individual's hands might be so shaky that they cannot touch or grab things normally, and they may lose their equilibrium and fall.
HYPOTHALAMUS-- The hypothalamus is a little part of the brain that does a fantastic variety of the physical body's housekeeping chores. Alcohol upsets the operation of the hypothalamus. After an individual consumes alcohol, blood pressure, appetite, thirst, and the need to urinate intensify while body temperature and heart rate decrease.
MEDULLA-- The medulla controls the physical body's automatic actions, like an individual's heart beat. It also keeps the body at the best temperature level. Alcohol really cools down the body. Drinking a lot of alcohol outdoors in chilly climates can cause a person's body temperature level to fall below normal. This dangerous situation is termed hypothermia.
A person might have difficulty with these abilities when alcohol goes into the cerebellum. After drinking alcohol, a person's hands might be so unsteady that they can't touch or get hold of things properly, and they may fail to keep their equilibrium and tumble.
After an individual alcoholic beverages alcohol, blood pressure, hunger, being thirsty, and the urge to urinate increase while body temperature and heart rate decrease.
Alcohol in fact chills the physical body. Drinking alcoholism of alcohol outdoors in cold weather conditions can trigger a person's body temperature to fall below normal.
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