Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Alcohol Makes Your Brain Grow
BBC News UK Edition ^ | 04/29/2005 | BBC News

Posted on 04/29/2005 8:59:41 AM PDT by Bacon Man

Drinking alcohol boosts the growth of new nerve cells in the brain, research suggests.

But while this might sound good in theory, the Swedish team believe these new cells could contribute to the development of alcohol dependence.

Mice fed moderate quantities of alcohol grew extra brain cells, but also showed a preference for alcohol over water.

The Karolinska Institute research appears in the International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology.

Brain growth

Lead researcher Professor Stefan Brene said: "We believe that the increased production of new nerve cells during moderate alcohol consumption can be important for the development of alcohol addiction and other long-term effects of alcohol on the brain."

Alternatively, the extra cells might help with learning and memory, he said.

Another theory, according to the researchers, is that the tranquilising effect of alcohol triggers the growth.

All of the new cells developed normally.

A spokeswoman from the Campaign for Real Ale said: "It is well known that alcohol in moderation is good for your body so it's no surprise it's also good for your mind.

"Maybe that is why lots of pub quiz teams are so bright."

A spokeswoman from Alcohol Concern said: "This type of study could prove useful in the long term to shed light on the relationship between alcohol intake and dependency.

"However, very little can be drawn from a single animal-based study at this stage.

"Much more research is needed to explore the relationship between drinking patterns and their effect on the human brain."


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: alcohol; brain; health
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100 ... 641-645 next last
To: Laura Earl

; )


61 posted on 04/29/2005 11:03:18 AM PDT by Conspiracy Guy (Caution. Contents under pressure.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 59 | View Replies]

To: TXBSAFH

You're not drinking enough.


62 posted on 04/29/2005 11:03:59 AM PDT by Conspiracy Guy (Caution. Contents under pressure.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 60 | View Replies]

To: Conspiracy Guy

Oh yeah, how does 3 to 4 case of beer a month sound.


63 posted on 04/29/2005 11:08:54 AM PDT by TXBSAFH (Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, who's bringing the chips?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 62 | View Replies]

To: motormouth

What are you trying to say?


64 posted on 04/29/2005 11:10:32 AM PDT by JimWforBush
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: TXBSAFH

Kind of light weight.


65 posted on 04/29/2005 11:11:39 AM PDT by Conspiracy Guy (Caution. Contents under pressure.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 63 | View Replies]

To: Conspiracy Guy

Oh I did not mention the 1.75 liter of sourmash bourbon. Or the 1/2 case of wine a month.


66 posted on 04/29/2005 11:15:09 AM PDT by TXBSAFH (Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, who's bringing the chips?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 65 | View Replies]

To: Bacon Man

My IQ rises after every vacation, then.

= P


67 posted on 04/29/2005 11:21:01 AM PDT by Mr. Thorne ("But iron, cold iron, shall be master of them all..." Kipling)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Bacon Man
Alcohol Makes Your Brain Grow

Makes you stronger, too. At the beginning of the night, several large men have difficulty moving the keg. By the wee hours, one person can easily move it around.

SD

68 posted on 04/29/2005 11:24:44 AM PDT by SoothingDave
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: JimWforBush

You know exactly what I am saying...


69 posted on 04/29/2005 11:30:21 AM PDT by motormouth
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 64 | View Replies]

To: Bacon Man; Hap; humblegunner; Xenalyte; Flyer

They've got us pegged, huh? ;-)


70 posted on 04/29/2005 11:33:29 AM PDT by Allegra (Team We Suck RULES!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Bacon Man

EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ON BRAIN:

Stage #1 -- Smart

This is when you suddenly become an expert on every subject. You know all and greatly wish to express this knowledge to anyone who will listen. At this stage you are also always right. And of course the person you are talking with is very wrong. You will talk for hours trying to convince someone that you are right. This makes for an interesting argument when both parties are "smart". Two people talking, in fact, arguing about a subject neither one really knows anything about, but are convinced that they are they complete authority on the subject makes for great entertainment for those get the opportunity to listen in.

Stage #2 -- Handsome/Pretty

This is when you are convinced that you are the best looking person in the entire room and everyone is looking at you. You begin to wink at perfect strangers and ask them to dance because of course they had been admiring you the whole evening. You are the center of attention, and all eyes are directed at you because you are the most beautiful thing on the face of the earth. Now keep in mind that you are still smart, so you can talk to this person who has been admiring you about any and all subjects under the sun.

Stage #3 -- Rich

This is when you suddenly become the richest person in the world. You can buy drinks for the entire bar and put it on your bill because you surely have an armored truck full of your money parked behind the bar. You can also make bets in this stage. Now of course you still know all, so you will always win all your bets. And you have no concern for how much money you bet because you have all the money in the world. You will also begin to buy drinks for all the people in the bar who are admiring you because you are now the smartest, prettiest, and richest person on the face of the earth.

Stage #4 -- Bulletproof

You can now pick fights with the people you have been betting money with because you cannot be hurt by anything. At this point you would go up to the boyfriend of the woman who had been admiring your beautiful self all evening and challenge him to a battle of wits for money. You have no worry about loosing this battle of wits because you know all, have all the money to cover this bet, and you obviously win a fight that might erupt if he looses.

Stage #5 -- Invisible

This is the final stage of drunkenness. At this point you can do absolutely anything because no one can see you. You can get up and dance on a table; you can strip down to your underwear, to impress the people who have been admiring you all evening, because the rest of the people in the room cannot see you. You are also invisible to the person whom you have picked a fight with earlier in the evening. You can walk through the streets singing at the top of your lungs (because of course you are still smart and know the tune perfectly) and no one will think anything of it because they can't see you. All your social inhibitions are gone. You can do anything, because no one will know.


71 posted on 04/29/2005 11:53:56 AM PDT by SC DOC
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Bacon Man

This finally explains the results I keep getting on all those darn IQ tests...


72 posted on 04/29/2005 11:54:18 AM PDT by Dead Corpse (Never underestimate the will of the downtrodden to lie flatter.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SC DOC

73 posted on 04/29/2005 11:58:39 AM PDT by SC DOC
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 71 | View Replies]

To: Conspiracy Guy; TXBSAFH

Amateur!


74 posted on 04/29/2005 12:10:04 PM PDT by Laura Earl (Fitness is a journey not a destination.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 65 | View Replies]

To: Bacon Man

Oh yeah, definitely...a long time ago. Yep, at a club a very long time ago.


75 posted on 04/29/2005 12:29:16 PM PDT by subterfuge (*John F. Kennedy voted against the 1957 Civil Rights Law*)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 32 | View Replies]

To: cjshapi

Woo Hoo! I must be a genius!


76 posted on 04/29/2005 12:30:19 PM PDT by Junior (“Even if you are one-in-a-million, there are still 6,000 others just like you.”)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Junior

I was waiting to see how long it would take you to show up here.


77 posted on 04/29/2005 12:32:43 PM PDT by cjshapi
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 76 | View Replies]

To: cjshapi

The only thing that would draw me faster would be a shout of "open bar."


78 posted on 04/29/2005 12:45:10 PM PDT by Junior (“Even if you are one-in-a-million, there are still 6,000 others just like you.”)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 77 | View Replies]

To: TXBSAFH

Featherweight


79 posted on 04/29/2005 1:28:41 PM PDT by Conspiracy Guy (Caution. Contents under pressure.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 66 | View Replies]

To: Bacon Man; Hap; Xenalyte; Allegra
"Maybe that is why lots of pub quiz teams are so bright."

I think there is a sort of universal truth being unveiled there somewhere.

80 posted on 04/29/2005 2:07:08 PM PDT by humblegunner (We ain't subject to terror, but it's unwise to irritate us.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100 ... 641-645 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson