Alcohol

1
Alcohols Effects on Development

• Human Growth and Development
• ED 6351
• Jon Norris

2
Fetal Alcohol Features
3
Hippocampus
Hippocampus Buried deep within the brain lies
the hippocampus within which new memories are
consolidated from short-term ionic memory to long
term memory. The hippocampus also plays a
prominent role in how we learn. Its location
makes it difficult for studies to be done on it
without the benefit of Magnetic Resonance Imaging
(MRI) or other forms of scanning techniques.
Researchers investigating this part of the brain
found that adolescents who do drink alcohol, and
who do drink significant amounts tend to have
hippocampi that have shrunk ten percent compared
to normal healthy hippocampi. This shrinkage in
brain volume signals the death of brain cells.
Ten percent of brain cells lost this way due to
alcohol is a lot of brain cells. Perhaps the most
used drug among teens is also the most dangerous.
Further studies have shown that learning is
impaired as a result of the hippocampus
shrinking. Tests done to evaluate skills and
knowledge in math, the sciences, and
verbal/nonverbal abilities show a ten percent
decline in people who drink heavily and who
exhibit a decline in the size of the
hippocampus.   Other parts of the brain The
extent to which alcohol affects other parts of
the brain is still unknown. One reason is that
signs that some areas are affected are more
obvious, more visible, and more easily recorded.
Signs like shaking of the limbs and other
movements of the body indicate more damage to
certain areas of the brain. If the cerebellum is
affected more than the other parts of the brain
(and autopsies of alcoholics help support this
assumption) help support this assumption) then
the reason why the cerebellum is more acceptable
to damage by alcohol is still unknown.  
4
Fetal Alcohol
Notice decreased hippocampuss
5
Critical Periods of Human Development
Light blue bars indicate periods when organs are
most sensitive to damage from alcohol, viral
infection, etc.Adapted from Human Biology by
Starr and McMillan
6
The Brain
Alcohol, the brain experiences impairments in the
regions shown Frontal Lobe (A) Loss of reason,
caution, inhibitions, sociability, talkativeness
and intelligence Parietal Lobe (B) Loss of fine
motor skills, slower reaction time, shaking
Temporal Lobe (C) Slurred speech, impaired
hearing Occipital Lobe (D) Blurred vision, poor
distance judgment Cerebellum (E) Lack of muscle
coordination and balance Brain Stem (F) Loss of
vital functions
7
Adolescent Brain
8
Rats hippocampus
9
Maternal Drinking Income
10
Maternal Drinking Anxiety
11
Maternal Drinking / Parenting
12
Maternal Drinking / Teacher