Brief Answer:
Brain damage about due to alcohol exposure

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Thanks for posting a query at healthcare magic.

Regarding your first statement "chronic alcoholism impacts cognitive functioning" is absolutely true. It applies to regular alcohol intake in moderate to high amount. The term applies to more than three standard 30 ml drinks a day and more than 14-21 drinks per day. Consumption of alcohol below that amount is considered as a minimal risk factor in regard to brain damage and effect on various component of memory.

Your second para conclusion are also correct as other than the term as it has been found that small amount of alcohol which is below the above mentioned amount (more than three standard 30 ml drinks a day and more than 14-21 drinks per day) is protective to brain damage especially Alzheimer disease.

If your drinking behavior is limited to few drinks (upto three drinks) on week end or week days there is no risk of cognitive impairment. The moderate amount of alcohol is found be beneficial in various research projects for cardiovascular and brain health. If you have any liver issue than it is advisable to scale down your alcohol drinking as it remains in the body for more duration of time.

Please be sure that you avoid drinking every day. Take at least one or two alcohol free holidays in a week and never to cross the three drinks a day mark. This will optimize your health and you will stay healthy for longer duration of time.


'Hope I have answered your query. If you have any further questions I will be happy to help".
Thanks and regards
Dr Ashok

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Brief Answer:
Alcohol effect

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for posting a thoughtful query.

First of all sorry for typo and thanks for pointing it out. Yes it is 14-21 drinks per week.

Regarding your first doubt the answer is absolutely yes. Chronic alcohol abuse results in shrinkage of the brain tissue due to loss of both white and gray matter. The magnitude of damage is determined by the amount and duration of alcohol consumption, with older individuals being more vulnerable than younger ones. Please note that alcohol itself causes damage to neural tissue, and malnutrition or vitamin deficiencies generally play roles in complications of alcoholism. There is no much difference in death of cell and reduced no. and size of dendrites for chronic alcoholics. Those who continue to consume alcohol in high doses keep on damaging the dendrites leaving the neurons to become non functional and ultimately death (of neuron).
If you are taking below the advisable limits (2-3 drinks per day) than the risk is minimal if any. The neurotoxic effect generally seen after the alcohol concentration reaches above 50mg per deciliter(one drink raises the level in tune of 20mg per deciliter) and below that limit neuron damage is not observed in majority of studies.
I am not aware of study that you have mentioned but this is well known fact in addiction that once you remove the offending agent the chance of recovery is very high but returning to the original state takes a long time and if there is repeated insult to tissue in between the chance of returning to premorbid state becomes almost negligible.

I do not find anything abnormal with your drinking behavior. It is absolutely fine as you are limiting yourself to nine drinks per week. Only thing you need to take care is stick to the current regimen and never overstep three drinks in a day.

The limitation of mental capacity depend on the concentration of alcohol in body and definitely the chronicity of abuse. As alcohol is CNS depreessant it works like barbiturates and benzodiazeoines.
At a level of 0.05 percent (50mg/dl) alcohol in the blood, thought, judgment, and restraint are loosened and sometimes disrupted.
At a concentration of 0.1 percent (100mg/dl), voluntary actions usually become perceptibly clumsy. This is legal limit in most USA states.
At 0.2 percent, the function of the entire motor area of the brain is measurably depressed, and the parts of the brain that control emotional behavior are also affected.
At 0.3 percent, a person is commonly confused or may become stuporous; at 0.4 to 0.5 percent, the person falls into a coma.

'Hope I have answered your query. If you have any further questions I will be happy to help".
Thanks

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Brief Answer:
Alcohol effect

Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXX

Thanks again for getting back to HCM.
The statement in above answered query are facts proved beyond doubt.
You can enjoy your drink to that extent.

"If you do not have any clarifications, you can close the discussion and rate the answer. Wish you good health".
Regards
Dr Ashok

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