Alcohol and Brain Damage

"Heavy alcohol use can cause lasting damage to brain circuits that control decision-making, as shown in a new study using rats.
Even after months of withdrawal, alcohol-exposed rats performed

worse in complex tasks compared to sober rats, revealing persistent cognitive deficits.
The brain region responsible for adapting behavior, the dorsomedial striatum, showed significant dysfunction, potentially explaining why many recovering alcoholics relapse. These findings open a new window into how alcohol reshapes the brain and why its effects can linger long after drinking stops.
The alcohol had damaged neural circuits causing alcohol-exposed rats to process information less effectively."
SciTechDaily