How does alcohol affect a teen s hippocampus

Chronic illnesses such as cirrhosis of the liver, pancreatitis, hepatitis, hypertension, anemia, and nutritional deficiencies can result.Alcohol can damage or even destroy the cells that make up the hippocampus, which is why some people experience fuzzy memories or 'blackouts' after drinking.Rats and humans the effects of alcohol on the structure of the adolescent brain and how it functions.Teenagers who engage in underage drinking are more likely to make bad decisions, spend money unwisely or become violent and extremely aggressive with those surrounding them.It may also inhibit their ability to plan and think ahead.

Additionally, alcohol can have negative effects on a teenager's developing brain.It was also shown that the hippocampus is very sensitive to alcohol at this stage in life.Activity of certain hippocampal cells are drastically reduced in teens who drink both occasionally and regularly.They might have sex when they didn't mean to.The effects, while not always dramatic, can be significant.

Alcohol is a depressant, meaning it slows the function of the central nervous system.Tapert's team found damaged nerve tissue in the brains of the teens who drank.The decreased firing of impulses in the hippocampus disrupts the formation of the short term memory and accounts for the subsequent blackouts experienced the next day.Display unpredictable behavior or pick fights at home:Teens can get depressed and injure themselves or hurt someone else.