Alcohol

Alcohol is a liquid produced through the natural fermentation of sugars from fruits or grains. The consumption of alcohol can dull the senses, leading to slower reaction time and weakened muscles. Alcohol affects the portion of the brain responsible for decision making and the central nervous system and slows down important functions in the body.

When these functions slow, everyday tasks become more difficult, or even dangerous, such as driving a car. The more a person drinks alcohol, the more alcohol they will need to feel the same effects later, and this leads to addiction. Those who start drinking alcohol at a young age are more susceptible to becoming addicted.

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, teens who start drinking before age 15 are 5 TIMES more likely to develop alcohol dependence or abuse later in life than those who begin drinking at or after the legal age of 21.

When teens drink, alcohol affects their brains in the short-term, and repeated drinking can have an impact on the brain down the road, especially as it grows and develops.

Short-Term Consequences of Intoxication (being "drunk"):

  • An intoxicated person has a harder time making good decisions.  They also have impaired motor coordination.
  • A person is less aware that his/her behavior may be inappropriate or unsafe.
  • A person has a greater risk of being injured from falls or vehicle crashes.
  • A person may be more likely to engage in unsafe behavior, including drinking and driving, unsafe sexual behavior (like unprotected sex) and aggressive or violent behavior.
  • A person is less likely to recognize potential danger.

Long-Term Consequences as the Teen Brain Develops:

Research suggests that drinking during the teen years could interfere with normal body and brain development and permanently change the brain in ways that:

  • Have negative effects on information processing and learning.
  • Increase risk of developing alcohol use disorder later in life.
  • Increase the potential for disease and other health problems.
  • Disrupt normal growth and sexual development.

Other Potential Consequences of Underage Drinking:

  • School problems, such as higher absence and poor or failing grades.
  • Social problems, such as fighting and lack of participation in youth activities.
  • Legal problems, such as arrest for driving or physically hurting someone while drunk.
  • Physical problems, such as hangovers or illnesses.
  • Physical and sexual assault.
  • Higher risk for suicide and homicide.
  • Alcohol-related car crashes and other unintentional injuries, such as burns, falls, or drowning.
  • Memory problems.
  • Misuse of other drugs.
  • Death from alcohol poisoning.

EFFECTS ON THE TEEN BRAIN:

Below are functional MRI scans of two teens while they took a working memory test. The images show the heavy drinker isn't using the brain areas normally used to complete a memory test, while the non-drinker is. Researchers suggest that in school, heavy drinkers may not be activating those regions of the brain required to remember a lesson.

Functional MRI scans of two teens while they took a working memory test. The images show that the heavy drinker isn't using those brain areas normally used to complete a memory test, while the non-drinker is. Researchers suggest that in school, heavy drinkers may not be activating those regions of the brain required to remember a lesson.