Journal article
Binge drinking and the young brain: A mini review of the neurobiological underpinnings of alcohol-induced blackout
Frontiers in Psychology, Vol.9, 12
2018
Abstract
Binge drinking has significant effects on memory, particularly with regards to the transfer of information to long-term storage. Partial or complete blocking of memory formation is known as blackout. Youth represents a critical period in brain development that is particularly vulnerable to alcohol misuse. Animal models show that the adolescent brain is more vulnerable to the acute and chronic effects of alcohol compared with the adult brain. This mini-review addresses the neurobiological underpinnings of binge drinking and associated memory loss (blackout) in the adolescent and young adult period. Although the extent to which there are pre-existing versus alcohol-induced neurobiological changes remains unclear, it is likely that repetitive binge drinking in youth has detrimental effects on cognitive and social functioning. Given its role in learning and memory, the hippocampus is a critical region with neuroimaging research showing notable changes in this structure associated with alcohol misuse in young people. There is a great need for earlier identification of biological markers associated with alcohol-related brain damage. As a means to assess in vivo neurochemistry, magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) has emerged as a particularly promising technique since changes in neurometabolites often precede gross structural changes. Thus, the current paper addresses how MRS biomarkers of neurotransmission (glutamate, GABA) and oxidative stress (indexed by depleted glutathione) in the hippocampal region of young binge drinkers may underlie propensity for blackouts and other memory impairments. MRS biomarkers may have particular utility in determining the acute versus longer-term effects of binge drinking in young people. © 2018 Hermens and Lagopoulos.
Details
- Title
- Binge drinking and the young brain: A mini review of the neurobiological underpinnings of alcohol-induced blackout
- Authors
- Daniel F Hermens (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Arts, Business and LawJim Lagopoulos (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Arts, Business and Law
- Publication details
- Frontiers in Psychology, Vol.9, 12; 7
- Publisher
- Frontiers Research Foundation
- Date published
- 2018
- DOI
- 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00012
- ISSN
- 1664-1078
- Copyright note
- Copyright © 2018 Hermens and Lagopoulos. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
- Organisation Unit
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; Thompson Institute
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99450663902621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web Of Science research areas
- Psychology, Multidisciplinary
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