An Unobvious Reason for Deteriorating Brain Function Revealed 0 10

Alcohol consumption in youth, especially as a way to cope with stress, may be linked to a decline in cognitive functions in middle age — even if a person later abstains from alcohol for a long time. This conclusion was reached by researchers from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The results of the study were published in the journal Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research (ACER).

In experiments on mice, the researchers studied how the combination of stress and alcohol consumption in early adulthood affects the brain later on. It turned out that it is this combination of factors that has the strongest impact. Animals that experienced stress and consumed alcohol showed a decline in cognitive flexibility in middle age — the ability to quickly adapt to new conditions and make decisions.

Additional analysis revealed changes in the functioning of the locus coeruleus — a region of the brainstem responsible for the stress response and decision-making. Normally, this structure is activated under stress and then returns to its usual state. However, in animals with a history of stress-induced alcohol consumption, this mechanism was disrupted.

Moreover, signs of oxidative stress were found in the brains of such mice — cellular damage that is often observed in neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease. According to the scientists, early alcohol consumption combined with stress may lead to a long-term "reconfiguration" of neural circuits, which over time increases the risk of cognitive impairments.