Recent research from the University of Massachusetts Amherst suggests that using alcohol to cope with stress in early adulthood may have lasting effects on the brain that do not disappear with years of sobriety. The study found that these changes can begin to surface by middle age, reducing mental flexibility, increasing the likelihood of turning back to alcohol during stressful times, and contributing to patterns of cognitive decline associated with dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
Published in the journal Alcohol Clinical and Experimental Research, the findings shed new light on how alcohol and stress work together to reshape brain circuits. The researchers say this improved understanding could eventually lead to better treatments that address the long-term effects of alcohol use rather than focusing only on stopping drinking.
How Stress and Alcohol Reinforce Each Other
Scientists have long recognized that stress and alcohol can fuel one another. Alcohol may temporarily ease feelings of stress, but repeated drinking can weaken the brain's natural ability to manage stress on its own. Over time, this can lead people to rely on alcohol more often, and in larger amounts, to achieve the same relief.
