A World Health Organization survey in 2014 found that 39pc of Irish 15-year-olds had engaged in a session of binge-drinking, putting us just behind Austria, which topped the list in the 194 countries studied.
It is timely to remind ourselves then that: "Research indicates that the human brain continues to develop into a person's early 20s and that exposure of the developing brain to alcohol may have long-lasting effects on intellectual capabilities," according to the Centre for Substance Abuse Prevention in the US.
Alcohol has a noticeable effect on brain cells and on the transmitters that pass signals along the nerves in various parts of the brain. And like a river, it has tributaries and distributaries that flow deep into several areas of the brain, causing damage and destruction like a deluge. And a binge is like a torrent of alcohol.
Three broad aspects of brain function are altered - the first is memory, the second is planning/decision making/judgement and the third is reward-seeking. Everybody knows that alcohol affects memory in certain ways and we now understand that the effects of alcohol on adolescent memory are much greater than its impact.
While immediate memory is not affected by alcohol consumption, the ability to lay down memories is, and so recall of information even 20 minutes later or of facts (known as explicit memory) such as telephone numbers or what you did last night, are impaired.
This is because of the impact it has on part of the brain known as the hippocampus. This is the unit for memory storage, particularly an area called CA1. The cells here are particularly sensitive to the effects of alcohol. Studies have found that heavy, extended drinking is associated with a 10pc reduction in hippocampal volume.
The second brain area that is smaller in adolescents who drink to excess compared to those who do not drink, is the pre-frontal cortex.
This is located behind the eyes and is regarded as the executive control centre. It allows us to weigh risks and rewards and it helps us to decide when to defer a particular action rather than pursuing immediate gratification.
Source: Irish Independent, 21/04/15
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