Long referred to as Wet Brain, alcohol induced dementia is one of the serious side effects of prolonged alcohol abuse. Its symptoms are nearly identical to those of other types of dementia, and many family members report that living with someone who suffers from the condition is like living with someone who has Alzheimer’s disease. While it can be difficult to tell whether dementia is caused by alcohol or by other factors, it is estimated that nearly 10% of all dementia sufferers have a history of heavy drinking.
Because its symptoms are so similar to other types of dementia, the condition can be difficult to diagnose. Symptoms include personality change, memory impairment, difficulty learning new information, disturbance of language, difficulty performing simple motions, difficulty recognizing and identifying objects and difficulty with executive functions such as planning, organizing, abstracting and sequencing. While many of these symptoms manifest as a natural part of the aging process, they are considered signs of alcohol induced dementia when they impair social and occupational functions, when they persist beyond the normal cycle of intoxication and withdrawal, when the sufferer shows a significant decline in functioning and when he or she has a history of alcohol abuse.
Considering the way that alcohol affects the brain, it is no surprise that prolonged exposure has prolonged effects. In fact, many of the symptoms such as memory loss, slurred speech and difficulty moving are similar to the short-term effects of intoxication. Alcohol impairs the brain cells located at the front of the brain. These cells are responsible for decision making and the damage caused here by heavy drinking may result in the personality changes reported by many sufferers. Years of drinking can also damage the liver, responsible for filtering toxins from the blood, and can cause vitamin deficiency. When the brain is flooded by toxins and is not getting enough vitamins, parts of it eventually become damaged.
The best treatment for alcohol dementia is to avoid getting it in the first place. Men who drink more than six drinks per day and women who drink more than four drinks per day place themselves at a higher risk of developing the condition. If the symptoms are caught early, however, it may be possible to reverse the effects. The sufferer must stop drinking alcohol altogether and try to replace as many of the lost vitamins as possible. Treatment with mematine has also shown positive results. The brain is a resilient organ and is often able to repair itself. Many times, however, addiction prompts the sufferer to continue their drinking until it is too late to make a recovery.