Brain Damage from Drugs & Alcohol

(Are Effects Reversible?)

Drugs and alcohol have short- and long-lasting negative impacts on the human brain. When people mention substance abuse-related “brain damage,” they refer to a brain injury due to the destruction or alteration of cells of in the brain. Such injuries may happen either as a direct result of the toxic effects of drugs and alcohol or as a consequence related to drug use, which can include anything from seizures, asphyxiation, respiratory arrest, hypoxic brain injury, and more. Also, Alcohol and drugs can cause a variety of negative effects on the brain, ranging from temporary impairments in cognitive function to permanent damage.

Can Drug Use Cause Brain Damage?

Drinkers/ Users experience a wide range of neurological changes due to substance use. Many of these are a direct result of intoxication and they end after the substance clears your body. Chronic or heavy use of some substances is associated with neurological issues that can be detrimental and long-lasting, but these aren’t usually a result of cell death causing permanent neurological injury. In fact, many brain changes or neurological complications that result from substance use can improve or even be reversed when you stop using drugs or alcohol.

 Excessive alcohol consumption is a leading cause of brain damage, and can lead to a number of conditions such as alcoholic neuropathy and alcoholic brain syndrome. Alcoholic neuropathy is a type of nerve damage that can cause numbness and tingling in the hands and feet, weakness, and loss of muscle control. Alcoholic brain syndrome, on the other hand, refers to a group of symptoms that may include memory loss, difficulty with balance and coordination, and impaired judgment. These symptoms can be caused by the toxic effects of alcohol on brain cells, as well as the deficiency of certain nutrients that occurs with chronic alcohol abuse.

Effects of Addiction on the Brain

Sustained abuse of certain substances can cause potential long-term neurological effects or changes to brain function. These include:  traumatic brain injuries, headaches, a range of persistent neurological and cognitive complications, and brain changes, including loss of gray matter, reduced hippocampus volume, and enlarged cerebral ventricles (the network that connects areas of your brain) may occur as a result of chronic substance abuse.  Potential consequences and brain changes can vary by substance

Certain substances may have neurotoxic effects at high doses or with chronic exposure. These are substances that may cause damage or injury to brain cells. Taking these substances, especially over longer periods of time or at certain times in the human aging process, could increase your risk of suffering from substance-related brain changes or neurological issues. For example, high-dose or chronic amphetamine use may accelerate and enhance a person’s age-related decline in dopaminergic function.

Certain drugs, such as stimulants like cocaine and methamphetamine, can also cause brain damage. These drugs can increase the risk of stroke by constricting blood vessels in the brain, and can also cause damage to brain cells through the production of toxic byproducts. Opioids, such as heroin and prescription painkillers, can cause brain damage by reducing the amount of oxygen that reaches the brain. In addition, long-term use of certain drugs, such as marijuana and LSD, has been linked to changes in brain structure and function.

What is Brain Injury from Drug Use?

Brain injury from drug or alcohol use ranges from minor damage to brain cells to severe physical damage such as brain hypoxia due to overdose. Some of these consequences can be more serious and/or persistent, such as in the case of traumatic brain injury (TBI), stroke, and Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome. Others can include potentially reversible changes such as mild brain atrophy (brain shrinkage) and changes to brain white matter.

Alcohol intoxication can lead to TBI, with studies estimating between 30% and 50% of patients treated for TBI were also intoxicated at the time of injury.  TBIs can be mild to severe, and they occur after trauma or injury to the brain that causes swelling, increased intracranial pressure, and reduced blood flow, resulting in different neurological symptoms and cognitive deficits including memory loss. Alcohol use in people diagnosed with a TBI can significantly elevate their risk of experiencing a future TBI. Repeated TBIs produce more severe long-term damage and an increased likelihood of permanent disability.

Hypoxic Brain Damage from Overdose

Overdoses of certain substances can lead to potentially fatal neurological complications and injuries, including hypoxia, the shortage of oxygen delivery to the brain, and anoxia, meaning the total loss of oxygen that is usually due to hypoxia.^17,18

Hypoxic brain injury can occur due to respiratory depression, a serious consequence of opioid overdose.¹⁹ In addition to being a particular risk with opioids (such as heroin, OxyContin or fentanyl), use of benzodiazepines, alcohol, or other sedatives can also lead to respiratory depression. Poly-substance use, which often involve combining substances that have depressant effects, such as opioids, sedatives, or alcohol. Combining substances in general—but especially depressants—can have unpredictable and dangerous outcomes.¹⁹

Overdose survivors may develop a hypoxic brain injury that leads to long-lasting or even permanent damage such as  short-term memory loss, stroke, mental disorientation, loss of body movement, changes in gait, incontinence, temporary leg paralysis, reduced motor skills, slowed reaction time, seizures, nerve injury, and memory impairment.²⁰

Can Neurological Complications Arise from Withdrawal?

Neurological complications may result from withdrawal of certain substances. Medically supervised detox may help to reduce the likelihood or severity of many of these risks. You will receive constant monitoring and supervision as well as medication to address any symptoms or complications that may arise as a result of withdrawal.²¹

Withdrawal from substances like alcohol and benzodiazepines may also present a risk of withdrawal seizures.  Seizures can be dangerous because you can suffer from falls or injuries or develop a potentially lethal condition known as status epilepticus, which is when you have a seizure that lasts more than 5 minutes or when seizures occur too often in too short a time span.²³

Which Drugs Kill Brain Cells?

Different drugs can have neurotoxic and destructive effects on brain cells. Substances that are associated with neurological damage include but are not limited to alcohol, heroin, amphetamines, marijuana, opioids, inhalants, and cocaine.

Remember that the brain is a complex organ that can adapt to many stressors and circumstances, a concept known as neuroplasticity. People are resilient creatures, and the body and brain were designed to be able to heal themselves. Certain forms of treatment can augment this process and enhance neurological recovery. According to one report, more than 85% of TBIs are considered to be mild, and most people recover from these injuries with medical treatment.

 For those with a substance use disorder, seeking help from addiction and stopping your use of substances may help prevent or heal some of the neurological consequences of substance use and help you take back not only your physical health, but also your mental health and overall wellbeing.

It is important to note that the brain is a highly adaptable organ and can sometimes repair or compensate for some of the damage caused by alcohol and drugs. However, the extent of the damage and the ability of the brain to repair itself will depend on the severity and duration of the substance abuse, as well as the individual\’s overall health and age. In order to protect the brain from the negative effects of alcohol and drugs, it is important to seek help if substance abuse becomes a problem.

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