Effect of Alcohol on the Brain

The United States Department of Health and Human Services reports that alcohol does have a significant effect on the brain, especially since alcohol drinkers experience difficulty walking, blurred vision, slurred speech, and impaired memory. It does not take long for alcohol to start taking effect on the brain, as some drinkers feel the mentioned symptoms only after one or two alcoholic beverages.

Length of Effects and Damage

• The way the brain is affected is based on individual's age, sex and gender. Alcohol can result in mild and temporary damage to the brain, or it can turn into severe and permanent damage.

Blackouts and Memory Lapse

• Memory impairments can start after just a few drinks, and the degree of impairment increases with further alcohol consumption. Events that occurred while drinking alcohol can be forgotten, which is called blackout.

Loss of Coordination

• Loss of coordination is an effect on the brain and muscles, which causes slurring of speech and difficulty in walking a straight line.

Hepatic Encephalopathy

• The serious and sometimes fatal brain disorder that results from prolonged liver dysfunction and damage--such as liver cirrhosis--is called hepatic encephalopathy. Hepatic encephalopathy can be lethal.

Alcohol Dependence

• In some cases, alcohol effects on the brain result in alcohol dependence, where the brain is unable to function without alcohol.

Women and Alcohol Damage

• Medical research shows that women are more vulnerable to alcohol caused damage than men. Women with alcohol problems can develop cirrhosis, cardiomyopathy which is damage caused to the heart, and peripheral neuropathy nerve damage.