# Alcohol - brain damage?



## mezona (Sep 4, 2015)

Hi guys, can dissociation immitate a brain damage? I used to drink a lot for my anxiety... CT scan and MRI scan was clear... My memory is almost shut, I have nothing on my mind and constant anxiety... Thanks!


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## marduk (Mar 4, 2015)

I think i read somewhere that some types of brain damage can have dissosiative symptoms but i think it was more related to actual head trauma. I Believe that it is very unlikely alcohol would have caused you brain damage unless you have been a very heavy daily drinker for years, if alcohol would cause the kind of brain damage that would give dpdr like symptoms i think it would be a lot more common occurence considering how much people drink in general.


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## eddy1886 (Oct 11, 2012)

Mezona only people who drink crazy amounts of alcohol can develop brain damage from it...

I mean you would have to be constantly drinking bottles of straight vodka day in day out for years before you would develop brain damage from alcohol (also known as a Wet Brain)

And to be honest before you even got to that point your liver would have given out anyway and you would probably be dead....

So no....alcohol has not caused you any brain damage....


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## Chicane (Oct 8, 2015)

This was my first thought too when I started developing cognitive problems. I used to drink maybe a six pack of beer every couple of nights. But now I realize that's pretty absurd, it would take a lot more than that to develop lasting brain damage. Plus I had a vitamin deficiency test done, and my B-vitamins were fine (these are the ones that will cause you problems, particularly a lack of B1/thiamine). I'm still really curious as to what mechanisms can cause things like overnight memory loss and lack of concentration though, as that is how I experienced it. Does anyone know?


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## Mydp (Aug 12, 2016)

My dad was an alcoholic and it eventually lead to his death. He developed other health problems long before he developed brain damage. And when he did develop brain damage, it wasn't something that he noticed over time. He had a brain bleed stroke that required immediate surgery and put him into the ICU, followed by rehabilitation to learn basic skills again. I would think you would have had some other alcohol related health problems already if alcohol was the cause of your issues. I, however, do not drink due to the family history of drug and alcohol abuse, and developed DP about 6 months after my dad's death. The only long term health problem that I've ever actually had (there was a time I convinced myself I had many ) is anxiety.


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## Mydp (Aug 12, 2016)

Chicane said:


> This was my first thought too when I started developing cognitive problems. I used to drink maybe a six pack of beer every couple of nights. But now I realize that's pretty absurd, it would take a lot more than that to develop lasting brain damage. Plus I had a vitamin deficiency test done, and my B-vitamins were fine (these are the ones that will cause you problems, particularly a lack of B1/thiamine). I'm still really curious as to what mechanisms can cause things like overnight memory loss and lack of concentration though, as that is how I experienced it. Does anyone know?


Dopamine seems to be the main neurotransmitter that plays a part in all the issues caused by DP. The level have to be just right. Too much or too little isn't good, but each person is unique in what the right level is for them. A person with ADHD, which has low dopamine, will respond in a completely different way that someone with schizophrenia, which has high levels of dopamine, if given an antipsychotic (reduces levels of dopamine) vs adderall (increases levels of dopamine).

"Dopamine in memory
Levels of dopamine in the brain, especially the prefrontal cortex, help in improved working memory. However, this is a delicate balance and as levels increase or decrease to abnormal levels, memory suffers.

Dopamine in attention
Dopamine helps in focus and attention. Vision helps a dopamine response in the brain and this in turn helps one to focus and direct their attention. Dopamine may be responsible for determining what stays in the short term memory based on an imagined response to certain information. Reduced dopamine concentrations in the prefrontal cortex are thought to contribute to attention deficit disorder.

Dopamine in cognition
Dopamine in the frontal lobes of the brain controls the flow of information from other areas of the brain. Disorders of dopamine in this region lead to decline in neurocognitive functions, especially memory, attention, and problem-solving.
D1 receptors and D4 receptors are responsible for the cognitive-enhancing effects of dopamine. Some of the antipsychotic medications used in conditions like schizophrenia act as dopamine antagonists. Older, so-called "typical" antipsychotics most commonly act on D2 receptors, while the atypical drugs also act on D1, D3 and D4 receptors"


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