When the toxic effects of high doses of alcohol are compared between adolescent and adult rats there is a differential pattern with some anatomical areas showing increased damage and another showing decreased damage in the adolescents compared to adults. Taken together these findings indicate that large doses of alcohol during adolescence produce toxic effects, which could explain why adolescent alcohol exposure produces impairment in cognitive function that lasts into adult hood.

Binge Alcohol Consumption Produces Differential Brain Damage in Adolescent and Adult Rats

Adolescent (post natal day 33) and adult (post natal 80-90 day) rats were administered intragastric alcohol (9-10g/kg/day) 4 times daily for 4 days and brains were obtained 1 hr after the last dose. This resulted in blood alcohol levels of about 550 mg/dl in both adolescents and adults, a level seen in 10% of patients presenting for detoxification. Brain damage was measured using a silver stain of sections of different brain areas. Binge alcohol consumption produced more damage in anterior areas from adolescents and it produced more damage in posterior areas and entorhinal cortex in adults.* = p <.05, ** p <.01, increase from controls, # = p <.05 increase from adolescents.(Constructed from data in Crews, F.T. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 24: 1712, 2000) ©2008 NBEP
In adults and moderate to heavy alcohol drinking is associated with reduced brain volume

Alcohol Drinking is Associated with Reduced Brain Volume.

Data from the Framingham Study mean age about 60, 47% male, drinking assessed by self-report of drinks/week during past month, former drinkers had reported drinking previously. Brain volume measured by MRI. Results adjusted for age, sex, height, education, body mass index. There is about a 1% difference between non drinkers and moderate drinkers which can be compared to an average estimated 1.9% decrease in brain volume per 10 years of life in healthy individuals. Heavy drinking has been shown previously to reduce brain volume. (Constructed from data in Paul C.A. et al, Arch Neurol, 65: 1363, 2008)) ©2008 NBEP
It has been found in adolescence with alcohol use disorders that there is a reduced volume in the prefrontal cortex and the adolescents that drank more at each episode had a greater decrease in prefrontal cortex volume. This is evidence that alcohol use actually produces neurotoxic affects in adolescence. The localization of reductions in prefrontal cortex suggests this could be the basis of impairment of executive functions seen with excessive alcohol use in adolescence.

Adolescent Onset Alcohol Use Disorder is Associated with Smaller Prefrontal Cortex and it is Smaller in Those that Drink More

14 male and female subjects between 14-20 years of age with alcohol use disorder (AUD) and 28 controls had MRI imaging for measurement of Prefrontal-Thalamic- Cerebellar volumes. Individuals with AUD also had other mental disorders. There was a reduced volume of prefrontal cortex and prefrontal cortex white matter in those with AUD and those had a higher average number of drinks per episode or maximal drinking episode had a smaller prefrontal cortex volume. Size of thalamus or cerebellum did not differ between the 2 groups. (Constructed from data in DeBellis, M.D. et al. Alcohol Clin Exp Res, 29:1590, 2005) ©2008 NBEP