Alcohol and brain structure across the lifespan

Alcohol and brain structure across the lifespan: A systematic review of large-scale neuroimaging studies

We conducted a systematic review of large-scale neuroimaging studies examining the effects of alcohol exposure on brain structure at multiple developmental stages

Prenatal exposure was associated with greater brain volume at ages 9-10, but contemporaneous alcohol consumption during adolescence and adulthood was associated with smaller volume/thickness.

Both low-to-moderate consumption and heavy consumption were characterized by smaller volume and thickness in frontal, temporal, and parietal regions, and reductions in insula, cingulate and subcortical structures.

Adolescent consumption had similar effects, with less consistent evidence for smaller cingulate, insula, and subcortical volume.

In sum, prenatal exposure was associated with larger volume, while adolescent and adult alcohol exposure was associated with smaller volume and thickness, suggesting that regional patterns of effects of alcohol are similar in adolescence and adulthood.

National Library of Medicine https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39317645/