Women who are alcohol-dependent develop serious and potentially irreversible brain damage more quickly than men. That’s according to a new study in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.
In the newly reported study, which was conducted in Russia, researchers compared the performances of 78 male and 24 female alcoholics and 68 nonalcoholics in a comparison group on a series of tests measuring memory, decision making, problem solving, and other aspects of mental function.
The study subjects ranged in age from 18 to 40, with the average age of the alcoholics ranging from 30 to 33.
Female alcoholics performed worse on a number of tests of neurocognitive function compared with males. However, researchers say this isn’t good news for alcoholic men. They will also experience the same kind of effects.
Studies have found that women who drink, face a greater risk of developing diseases related to alcohol abuse–such as heart and liver disease, cancer and particularly breast cancer — than men who drink similar amounts or even more.
Recent studies indicate that women tend to develop brain “shrinkage” and damage to their memory capabilities much faster than their male counterparts who drink. This knowledge might have increased motivating power to help some individuals move away from destructive drinking.
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