Female Drinking and Brain Damage

Women Face Greater Memory Loss Than Men
Medical research continues to reveal greater health risks for women who drink compared to men. The latest studies show that females, even young women, face more brain damage than men who drink the same amount for the same period of time.

Previous studies have found that women who drink face a greater risk of developing diseases related to alcohol abuse — such as liver disease, heart disease, cancer and particularly breast cancer — than men who drink similar amounts or even more.

Now two recent studies indicate that women tend to develop brain “shrinkage” and damage to their memory capabilities much faster than their male counterparts who drink.

Dr. Daniel W. Hommer and his colleagues at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse reported in the February issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry that women’s brains are more vulnerable to the damage caused by alcoholism. The study is the first to show distinct gender differences in the brain “shrinkage” that is common to alcoholics.

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    Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 25 May 2005
    Published on PsychCentral.com. All rights reserved.