Alcohol affects the brain like a traumatic injury

Alcohol affects the brain like a traumatic injury

Christopher Brown delivering presentation in Stratford, CT 3/25/10

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Naples News Editorial – 6/23/09

clipped from www.naplesnews.com Editorial: Teen drinking … the cost in dollars alone should get our attention Teens who consume alcohol are more likely to engage in foolish, regrettable and dangerous behavior. Each of us pays a price when this occurs. Every community in Florida has a vested interest in reducing underage drinking. Alcohol-attributable violent crime comprises the single-greatest cost to society, accounting for nearly one-half (48 percent) of the $3 billion figure. Other economic impacts detailed in the report include: As always, parental involvement is the first line of defense — and the most effective tool in helping young people make wise decisions. Wise parents will heed the counsel of Robyn Vanover, coordinator of Martin County’s Safe and Drug Free Schools program. “The No. 1 reason kids give as to why they don’t use drugs and alcohol is ‘my parents,’ ” Vanover said. “The main reason is always ‘my parents have an expectation of me.’ ”

Binge Drinking Harms Teenager Brains

Binge drinking has serious long-term consequences. The damage is not undone when the hangover wears off.

clipped from www.jointogether.org Binge Drinking Damages White Matter in Adolescent Brain A new MRI study finds that adolescents damage the white matter in their brain — which helps relay information between brain cells — when they binge on alcohol, HealthDay News reported April 21. Researchers said that the study of 28 teens indicates that binge drinking could impair thinking and memory among teens, perhaps even affecting performance in school. Past studies have revealed white-matter damage in adult alcoholics.  “It could be that episodes of binge drinking during the teenage years, when their brain is still developing, could have adversely influenced the brain’s white matter development,” said lead researcher Susan F. Tapert of the University of California at San Diego and director of Substance Abuse/Mental Illness at the VA San Diego Healthcare System. Given the current rate of adolescent binge drinking in the U.S., Tapert said that one in four teens could be at risk of white-matter damage due to heavy alcohol use.