Misc At what point does alcohol begin to affect memory?

[MarkoPolo]

Not sure if this is the right place to ask but sure ill ask here anyways!!

so, just like the title says, when does alcohol use begin to impair your memory?

I'm 17, turning 18 in a few weeks, and i probably drink around 5 or 6 units every weekend i go out, at least. And it's my last year in school, big exams coming up in a few months etc so i dont really wanna fuck my brain over too much yanno. I'm fairly smart as it is, and im not unhealthy, so i cant see it being that bad, right?

 

[burn out]

Alcohol is pretty easy on the brain. You need to drink quite large amounts of alcohol for long periods of time to significantly damage your memory or cognition. There are studies that show heavy drinking when the brain is still developing can cause impairments, however generally you would have to drink more 5 or 6 units each weekend for that to happen. I'm not saying your brain will still develop as well as if you didn't drink but you won't see any noticeable brain deficits at your current level of alcohol consumption.

 

[Captain.Heroin]

Burn out; I (respectfully) disagree entirely. Alcohol can begin to effect memory with one drink, such as how one toke of marijuana will SLIGHTLY decrease short term memory.

Alcohol is the most neurotoxic of all recreational drugs that have been used for some time (ignoring potentially devastatingly neurotoxic RC's which have yet to hit the market).

 

[NotQuiteThere]

And how much of this memory deficit is permanent versus temporary? i.e. if one is drinking 6 or more drinks a day, one is likely to develop alcohol dependence and notice memory issues. Assuming this (ab)use is discontinued, how much irreparable damage has been done?

 

[burn out]

Burn out; I (respectfully) disagree entirely. Alcohol can begin to effect memory with one drink, such as how one toke of marijuana will SLIGHTLY decrease short term memory.

Alcohol is the most neurotoxic of all recreational drugs that have been used for some time (ignoring potentially devastatingly neurotoxic RC's which have yet to hit the market).

Oh I have no doubt that alcohol can effect memory after one drink but I was under the impression that the OP was asking how drinking alcohol on the weekend might effect memory during the week (when NOT under the influence). The answer to this, is that one must consume very large amounts of alcohol in order for it to have a damaging effect on the brain beyond the time of intoxication and shortly thereafter. I know that alcohol is supposedly one of the more neuro-toxic drugs but the fact remains that drinking alcohol on the weekends does not lead to any serious cognitive deficits for most people. Even many long term alcoholics are quite intellectually capable. Benzos on the other hand, can have some serious cognitive effects when abused. I'd say they are orders of magnitude more neuro-toxic than alcohol.

 

[burn out]

And how much of this memory deficit is permanent versus temporary? i.e. if one is drinking 6 or more drinks a day, one is likely to develop alcohol dependence and notice memory issues. Assuming this (ab)use is discontinued, how much irreparable damage has been done?

Depending on how long term the abuse was, it is mostly repairable within a few years of abstinence.

 

[MarkoPolo]

^^^ya i meant how it will affect me when sober. or rather, is 5 or 6 pints every weekend gonna affect long term memory..

 

[NotQuiteThere]

^^^ya i meant how it will affect me when sober. or rather, is 5 or 6 pints every weekend gonna affect long term memory..

Speaking from 'experience', I've noticed some issues with memory the past year or two, when my alcohol consumption has increased from perhaps a 40 a day of beer (2.5 pints ish) to the equivalent of over 3 40's a day (assuming the 40's were beer). That's about 70 'standard drinks' per week. In any case, my memory has actually not suffered terribly, except when I try to memorize something while actively under the influence. The main issues I've noticed, that have led me to seek help at decreasing my intake, have been general 'cognitive impairment.' i.e. it's harder for me to form concise thoughts or express myself than usual. I have to do a double take on most things I say or write because the first time, it might come out wrong or be nonsensical. Concerning the memory angle, I have noticed some issues remembering things, but it mostly takes the form of things done while I'm intoxicated taking on a 'haze' - not that I can't remember them entirely. I hate getting shitfaced though so that could be part of it - I'm much happier just being constantly buzzed.

In any case a few pints a weekend is not a huge deal, just try to make sure that the context you consume them in is acceptable. i.e. consuming booze by yourself is more prone to abuse than when with your buddies, or at least at a bar meeting people. When you start associating drinking with being alone and getting drunk it's more prone to abuse.

Personal notes: I'm 23. At about 21 I started consuming ~3 beers a day regularly, increasing to the amount I'm at now. I also have self control issues where if I buy a large quantity of alcohol (say 1.75 liters of hard liquor) I consume it as rapidly as possible resulting in terrible hangovers and general shitty feelings. So you may be in a different boat than me. Before I began abusing alcohol in this manner, I was prescribed 2mg of klonpin a day.