Zeraph

Was just curious if there was any concrete evidence anyone knew of in a practical sense on just how much alcohol effects your brain. I know it kills cells, but well, practically everything does. And as I'm being drunk on gin right now, my mind began to wonder....

biznatch

Heh. I always almost start threads like this when I'm intoxicated on any given substance(since I am right now, though, the effort to research your question seems like too much of an effort for me. ).
I'm practically sure it kills your brain cells, though, as most pleasurable things do.

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mixedmedia

Do some NY Times sunday crossword puzzles and it will all even out.

This is what I tell myself at any rate.

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Suave

It kills a lot, but you have a lot more. I have nothing specific, but the rule of thumb I've been given over the years is that you're fine unless you're a heavy binge drinker. Now what exactly constitutes a heavy binge drinker is debatable. I'm praying that it's less than what I do.

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Infinite_Loser

Drinking doesn't exactly kill brain cells. It destroys dendrites, which are responsible for sending information through the brain. It also causes the brain to shrink moreso than normal shrinkage due to aging.

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Plan9

... I think my brain may have shrunk some.

Where the hell have you been?

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Whatever you can carry.

"You should not drink... and bake."

Amaras

Hello, my brain is the size of my thumbnail.
Therefore, Cromp is my hero.

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Zeraph

Thanks for the info, but what does that practically mean? I had a professor who used to binge drink and smoke pot before he got his PhD (and still a bit after!) And he was pretty smart, publishes a ton of papers, and makes a 6 figure salary.

n0nsensical

It means you dont have anything to worry about unless you're a hardcore alcoholic. In that case you probably have other problems.

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biznatch

Some people can smoke pot, drink heavily, and have it not affect their academic or professional life. All about control, if you feel you lose it, then you stop. (As today is day 2 off cigarettes for me, I'm losing control myself )

But what he meant is that your brain won't stop working from it, even though it gets damaged. Supplying your body with a constant supply of alcohol probably will fuck it up, though.

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LordEden

Bessie Braddock: Sir, you are drunk.
Churchill: And you, madam, are ugly. But in the morning, I shall be sober.

I once heard that it only kills the weaker brain cells so that we are accually making our selves smarter because we are culling the herd of brain cells and taking the weak ones out.

I live by that and my bottle.

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carrot glace

from what i understand, the damage is minimal, but drinking while pregnant however...

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murp0434

shiiiiiit i'm drunt right now i havne't noticed any ill side effects asside from the occasional miss typo

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KezMak

Sure, but those could be your precious telekenesis brain cells ...

LordEden

Yeah but who wants weak telekinesis powers?? I mean what if you are too lazy to get off the couch and you try to pull a beer out of the fridge with your mind. If you have weak telekinesis powers you could drop it and that is alcohol abuse, which is a federal crime.

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Plan9

Exhibit A!

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Whatever you can carry.

"You should not drink... and bake."