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ALCOHOL AND BRAIN DAMAGE


REASONS FOR RESEARCH: MANY PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT ALCOHOL RELATED STUDIES ONLY DEAL WITH SHORT TERM PROBLEMS. I WAS INTERESTED IN FINDING OUT THE TYPES OF PERMANENT DAMAGES THAT OCCURED WITHIN THE BRAIN.


STRUCTURAL DAMAGES:

1. ENLARGED VENTRICLES(3RD AND LATERAL)

2. DECREASED BRAIN MASS(FRONTAL LOBE)

3. LOSS OF WHITE MATTER(WHOLE BRAIN)


MEMORY: SOME OF THE OTHER SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS THAT STEM FROM ALCOHOLISM HAVE TO DO WITH MEMORY. STUDIES HAVE REVEALED THAT CHRONIC ALCOHOLICS SUFFER FROM MEMORY LOSS, AND HAVE A HARD TIME RETAINING NEW INFORMATION. ONE OF THE REASONS THAT THIS HAPPENS IS THAT THE ENLARGED VENTRICLES DECREASE BLOOD FLOW IN THE BRAIN. ANOTHER REASON HAS TO DO WITH THE LOSS OF BRAIN MASS(FRONTAL LOBE).


TESTS: CHRONIC ALCOHOLICS, AND A CONTROL GROUP OF NON DRINKERS WERE RUN THROUGH THE NEW ADULT READING TEST (NART), TO SEE IF ANY PERFORMANCE DIFFERENCES COULD BE FOUND.


TESTS OBSERVED:

1. SPATIAL ORIENTATION

2. PSYCHOMOTOR SPEED

3. VERBAL MEMORY

4. SPATIAL MEMORY

5. VISUO-PERCEPTUAL ABILITY

6. ABSTARCT REASONING


RESULTS: IN SOME CASES, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE CONTROL GROUP IN FACT DID BETTER THAN THE CHONIC ALCOHOLICS. THERE WERE SIGNIFICANT FINDINGS IN VERBAL RECOGNITION, RECALL ABILITY, VERBAL ABILITY, AND IMMIDIATE LOGICAL MEMORY.


PROOF: MANY QUESTION THE VALIDITY OF CLAIMS STATING THAT PERMANENT BRAIN DAMAGE DOES OCCUR. PARTICIPANTS OF THE STUDY WHO COMPLETELY STOPPED DRINKING,AND LATER RE-TESTED NEVER RECOVERED TO THEIR NORMAL LEARNING ABILITY.


FACTS: (CT) SCANS COMPARING SCHIZOPHRENIC, AND CHRONIC ALCOHOLIC'S BRAINS REVEALED MANY SIMILARITIES.


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