1. Executive Function Impairment: Alcohol can disrupt decision-making, planning, and impulse control.
2. Emotional Regulation: Alcohol may lead to mood swings, aggression, or emotional instability.
3. Judgement and Insight: Alcohol intake can impair the ability to assess risks and consequences accurately.
4. Reward Pathway Activation: Alcohol stimulates the release of dopamine, contributing to pleasurable sensations and reinforcing drinking behaviour.
5. Memory Formation: Excessive alcohol intake can impair the formation of new memories and lead to blackouts.
6. Balance and Coordination: The cerebellum regulates motor control, and alcohol consumption can disrupt balance and coordination.
7. Fine Motor Skills: Alcohol impairs fine motor skills necessary for tasks such as writing, typing, or handling objects.
8. Muscle Tone: Excessive alcohol intake may lead to decreased muscle tone and coordination.
9. Speech Fluency: The cerebellum's involvement in motor coordination extends to speech, leading to slurred speech and difficulty articulating words.
10. Cognitive Flexibility: Alcohol-related cerebellar dysfunction may impact cognitive flexibility and adaptability in response to changing situations.
11. Vital Functions: The brainstem regulates essential functions such as heart rate, breathing, and consciousness.
12. Alcohol Poisoning: Excessive alcohol intake can depress brainstem activity, leading to respiratory depression, coma, or death.
13. Nausea and Vomiting: Alcohol stimulates the brainstem's vomiting centre, leading to nausea and vomiting in some individuals.
14. Sleep Regulation: Alcohol disrupts brainstem-mediated sleep cycles, leading to fragmented sleep patterns and decreased sleep quality.
Inputs by: Dr. Vinit Banga, Associate Director of Neurology and Head of Neurointervention, BLK MAX Super Speciality Hospital