
A myth that alcohol kills brain cells may actually be just that, a myth. Although pure alcohol will indeed kill cells, it turns out drinking moderate amounts will not kill brain cells.
According to Gizmodo, new research has shown the quantity of alcohol you could take in does not necessarily introduce enough alcohol to kill brain cells.
The study by Grethe Jensen counted neurons in matched samples from non-alcoholics and alcoholics. The study discovered there was no real difference in the density or overall numbers.
However, the research did find that alcohol had other effects on the brain instead of killing brain cells.
The negative effects included the fact that brain cells aren’t being killed but communication is inhibited.
It has also been shown that quitting drinking copious amounts of alcohol allows your body time to recover most of the damage which may have been done to cells. Basically, you can afford to damage some of the neurons temporarily without costing some lasting effects.
Other negative effects could include developing Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome which can display through symptoms of confusion, coordination problems and memory problems.
Drinking excessive alcohol may also effect the growth of new brain cells.
Basically, it’s back to the same old message. Drinking in moderation is fine, but drinking excessively can affect the functioning of brain cells.
Not all bad news after Christmas then...