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The Effects of Alcohol on the Brain & Decision Making Process

Although alcohol affects nearly every organ system in the human body, out of all these the central nervous system is particularly impacted. The central nervous system encompasses the brain and spinal cord. Responsible for processing and responding to all environmental stimuli, the brain is especially essential for thought, perspective and reasoning. While a few drinks causes a short, temporary lapse in perception, that in and of itself can prove to be detrimental.

  1. Short-Term Use

    • Alcohol affects memory, judgment and impulse control.

      Even in small quantities, drinking alcohol affects brain function temporarily. Commonly referred to as binge drinking, alcohol-induced blackouts occur when lots of alcohol is absorbed too fast. During blackouts, you have difficulty remembering what you did or trouble recalling certain events. Binge drinking often results in serious injury, too, such as automobile accidents, drowning and burning incidents. It is frequently related to assault and domestic violence due to alcohol's effect on human memory, judgment and impulse control.

    Long-Term Use

    • Long-term drinking causes changes in brain function.

      According to the National Institutes of Health, effects of heavy long-term drinking on the brain depends on certain circumstances such as age of onset, gender, overall condition of health, drug use and genetics. Most notable problems associated with long-term drinking are alcohol tolerance and dependency. Tolerance refers to the progression of needing to consume higher quantities to attain the same desired effect, resulting in dependency. Drinking increasingly results in biochemical changes in the brain, causing cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Changes occur due to rearrangement of neurotransmitter activity, in an effort to maintain normal brain function.

    How Alcohol Affects Judgment

    • Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant, lending a sedative and inhibitory effect. Due to action on serotonin and other neurotransmitters, it aids in aggressive behavior. Impulsive behavior leads to unplanned pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases and violence. "The Encyclopedia of Crime and Punishment" explains that, although alcohol and aggression are related, other factors do have a role, such as use of other drugs and mental illness.

    Fetal Alcohol Disorders

    • Alcohol consumption during pregnancy can cause permanent brain damage to the fetus.

      Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) refers to a group of conditions occurring as a result of maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy. When an expectant mother drinks alcohol, it adversely affects fetal brain development, regardless of the amount consumed. Three types of FASD exist: alcohol-related birth defects, fetal alcohol syndrome and alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder. FASD is manifest by problems with coordination, learning, memory, vision and speech. Children with FASD frequently exhibit emotional and behavioral problems. This is due to damaged nerve cells, resulting in a smaller brain volume. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that effects from FASDs are incurable and permanent.

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