What causes ARBD?
ARBD is caused by a person regularly drinking or binge-drinking much more alcohol than the recommended limit. Alcohol can damage the brain in several different ways, but the most common are the following.
Damage to nerve cells
If a person regularly drinks too much alcohol it can be toxic to their nerve cells. Over time, drinking too much alcohol can cause brain cells to die and a person’s brain tissue to shrink. This means there are fewer cells to carry the messages that the brain needs to do different tasks.
Damage to blood vessels
Regularly drinking too much alcohol damages blood vessels in a person’s brain and can lead to high blood pressure. Both increase their risk of having a stroke (when the brain does not get enough oxygen and is damaged).
Low levels of thiamine (vitamin B1)
A lot of the brain damage that is caused by alcohol happens because it prevents the body from getting enough thiamine (vitamin B1). This is a vitamin that the brain needs to work properly.
People who are addicted to alcohol are also much less likely to have a balanced diet. They often get a lot of their energy from alcoholic drinks. This means that over months and years they have a higher risk of malnutrition, including a lack of vitamins such as thiamine (vitamin B1).
Increased risk of head injuries
If a person regularly drinks too much alcohol, they also have a higher risk of repeated head injuries. While under the effects of alcohol they may fall and hit their head, or receive blows to the head in fights or as victims of violence. Both can cause lasting damage to the brain.
A person with ARBD may experience all of these types of damage. The different types of damage are linked to different types of ARBD. For example, Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome is most closely linked with low levels of thiamine (vitamin B1).
