UMass Amherst study finds early stress-driven alcohol use causes lasting brain damage
Updated
Updated · SciTechDaily · Apr 24
UMass Amherst study finds early stress-driven alcohol use causes lasting brain damage
7 articles · Updated · SciTechDaily · Apr 24
Researchers at UMass Amherst, supported by the NIAAA, studied mice and found that combining alcohol and stress in early adulthood leads to persistent brain changes, including oxidative stress in the locus coeruleus.
These changes reduce cognitive flexibility, increase relapse risk, and contribute to cognitive decline linked to dementia and Alzheimer’s, even after long periods of abstinence from alcohol.
The findings highlight that the brain’s stress-regulation systems are damaged by early stress-driven drinking, making recovery difficult and suggesting the need for new treatment strategies targeting these lasting brain alterations.
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