The excessive alcohol consumption in adolescence causes changes in the gut microbiomeas revealed by a study carried out by researchers from the APC Microbiome Ireland (Ireland), published in the journal The Lancet eBioMedicine.
Specifically, experts have observed that alterations in the gut microbiomemicroorganisms that live in the human digestive system and affect health, are linked to the usual practice of binge drinking in the young.
Excessive drinking is the most common pattern of alcohol abuse during adolescence. Associated with a greater risk of developing alcoholism and of experiencing cognitive alterations that may persist into adulthood.
Emotional recognition difficulties
Given this, excessive alcohol consumption at work was associated with different alterations of the microbiome and emotional recognition difficulties. In addition, associations were found for several microbiome species linked to emotional processing and impulsivity.
In this sense, the researchers found a strong link to cravings and disturbances in the composition of the microbiome, as well as the neuroactive potential over time. These findings could aid the development of new dietary or prebiotic interventions aimed at improving early alcohol-related microbiota and cognitive impairments in young drinkers during the vulnerable period of adolescence.
“By focusing on young adults, at a crucial time in the immunological development of the brain and intestine, we identified alterations in the gut microbiome related to excessive alcohol consumption in young people. Microbiome composition showed associations with social cognition and impulsivity, supporting growing evidence that the gut microbiome plays a key role in brain and behavior.”