Booze can cause brain damage, say Spanish researchers

IT is official – too much alcohol can cause brain damage.

Scientists in Spain have found ethanol in alcohol destroys myelin, a substance in the brain that controls nervous function, causing delayed reactions.

Although it has long been known that excessive consumption of alcohol leads to a cognitive decline, the reason behind this was not known.

But sophisticated imaging following laboratory tests at the Prince Felipe Research Centre in Valencia has now shown a disintegration of the proteins that form the myelin sheath.