Key Facts: Persistent Damage: Alcohol-exposed rats showed impaired decision-making months after withdrawal. Targeted Brain Impact: Damage was found in the dorsomedial striatum, a decision-making hub. Sex Differences Noted: Effects were seen in male rats but not females, suggesting sex-based variability.
For the first time researchers demonstrate in an animal how heavy alcohol use leads to long-term behavioral issues by damaging brain circuits critical for decision-making.
Rats exposed to high amounts of alcohol exhibited poor decision-making during a complex task even after a monthslong withdrawal period. Key areas of their brains had undergone dramatic functional changes compared to healthy rats.