Youngsters who binge drink are risking their mental health later in life says a new study conducted by researchers at the Loyola University Health System. Past studies have shown that excessive drinking can cause cognitive impairment in adolescents because the brains of young adults are still developing. Lead researcher, Toni Pak, PhD, states that teens that binge on alcohol could upset connections in the brain that are necessary for the brain to function normally.
The study tested the long-term effect that large amounts of alcohol had on stress hormones in young rats. The rats were exposed to an eight day binge cycle. The first three days consisted of heavy alcohol injections (saline injections for the test group), followed by two days rest, then three more days of heavy alcohol exposure. The rats were examined again one month later once they were adults. They were divided into three groups – they were either given a small amount of alcohol, injected with a saline solution, or subjected to another binge cycle.
Similar to humans, rats produce a stress hormone in response to physical and mental anxiety. The hormone in rats is known as corticosterone. It reacts like the human equivalent cortisol, in that it helps to release blood sugar to restore balance in the body when exposed to stress. While tests done on animals are not always indicative of what will happen in humans, the study does have implications for the method by which teen drinking can lead to adult mood disorders.
Researchers found that corticosterone levels were elevated for the groups that received the one-time injection and for those that were subjected to the binge cycle. Also, the rats that had received alcohol in their adolescence showed marked increases in the stress hormone when exposed to alcohol later as adults. While temporary increases in cortisol may prove beneficial, long-term exposure has been linked to depression and heart problems.
Additionally, rats that received alcohol had lower base levels of corticosterone than those rats who abstained. The results of the study suggest that heavy alcohol exposure in one’s youth can have lasting changes on the release of stress hormones in the body.
Data from the British Medical Association shows that youngsters are drinking more at younger ages. And, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reports that more than a third of adolescents aged 18 to 20 admitted to binging on alcohol at least once in the past month. Excessive alcohol consumption at these young ages can produce numerous negative side effects aside from depression. Since studies show that binge drinking begins at age 13 on average, educational efforts need to be geared toward those in middle school in order to make an impact.
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