Alcohol Drinking in Teens Damages Long-term Memory & Learning Skills Permanently

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A recent study showed that the portion of the brain responsible for learning and memory is greatly affected when teens drink. According to Medical Daily, the study was conducted by researchers from Duke University Medical Center.  

It was published in "Alcoholism Clinical & Experimental Research," reports Medical News Today. The study focused on the effects of alcohol in the brains of teenagers.   

According to Medical News Today, Mary-Louise Risher, lead author in the study, states, "In the eyes of the law, once people reach the age of 18, they are considered adult, but the brain continues to mature and refine all the way into the mid-20's." 

Risher goes on to say, "It's important for young people to know that when they drink heavily during this period of development, there could be changes occurring that have a lasting impact on memory and other cognitive functions." 

The research studies the effects of alcohol specifically to the hippocampus which is linked to memory and learning, reports Medical News Today. As part of the study, young rats were exposed to certain levels of alcohol, which would lead to impairment. 

After 16 days of exposure, the scientist stopped administering alcohol to the rats. The animals were then allowed to mature for over 24- 29 days until they reached adulthood. 

When the rats matured, the researchers measured the long-term potentiation (LTP) of the hippocampus. According to Medical News Today, "LTP is the mechanism by which the brain synapses strengthen as they are repeatedly used to learn new things or recollect memories." 

Medicay Daily further explains, "Learning occurs best when there's a strong transmission of signals between synapses. In the case of the rodents, their LTP was described as hyperactive."

Scott Swarzwelder, senior author of the study, states, "If you produce too much LTP in one of these circuits, there is a period of time where you can't produce any more. The circuit is saturated and the animal stops learning." 

Researchers also observed that the dendritic spines looked lanky and spindly in the alcohol-exposed rodents, making them look immature, reports Medical Daily. The dendritic spines are responsible for cell to cell communication.  

According to Risher, the structural change of the dendritic spines may mean that alcohol exposure "disrupts the maturation process, which can affect these cognitive function later on."