New Alcohol Side Effect Discovered: Brain Health at Risk
It was already known that drinking alcohol does not bring any good to the human body.
Alcoholic drinks destroy the liver, have a negative impact on the cardiovascular system, and also impair brain function.
Recent studies have shown that humanity has clearly underestimated the harmful effects of alcohol on the brain.
The results of the work of foreign scientists were published in the journal Nature Metabolism.
Alcohol has a detrimental effect on brain function.
It is known that the liver converts alcohol into acetaldehyde. Hence the slurred speech and problems with coordination.
In turn, acetaldehyde is converted into a new form (acetate) under the influence of the enzyme ALDH2.
In an experiment with rodents, scientists removed the ALDH2 enzyme, which made the mice less sensitive to the brain damage caused by alcohol.
Thus, scientists came to the conclusion that alcohol has a direct impact on the areas of the brain responsible for coordination, emotions, impulse control and decision-making.
Scientists have also concluded that the metabolite acetate is also harmful to the brain. Until recently, it was considered harmless.
