If a person regularly drinks much more than the recommended limit of alcohol, it can damage their brain. It causes their memory and ability to think clearly to get worse over time, especially if the person drinks too much over many years.
This is known as alcohol-related brain damage (ARBD) or alcohol-related brain injury (ARBI). Some people with ARBD will only have small changes to their thinking and memory, known as
mild cognitive impairment (MCI). They are at risk of more serious brain damage unless they stop drinking.
Other people with ARBD will have more serious problems with their memory and thinking. Alcohol-related ‘dementia’ or Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome will cause them to struggle with day-to-day tasks. This is similar to someone living with dementia, such as
Alzheimer’s disease.