How many adolescents in the Czech Republic are endangered by brain damage due to alcohol abuse?

Czech version

Authors: L. Csémy ¹; K. Nešpor ²
Authors‘ workplace: Oddělení léčby závislostí – muži, Psychiatrická nemocnice Bohnice, Prahaprimář MUDr. K. Nešpor, CSc. ²; Laboratoř sociální psychiatrie, Psychiatrické centrum Prahavedoucí PhDr. L. Csémy ¹¹
Published in: Čes-slov Pediat 2013; 68 (6): 380-384.
Category: Actual Topic

Overview

The brain of adolescents is much more vulnerable by alcohol than in the years to follow. Drinking of alcohol, especially intermittent drinking of high doses (bender, binge drinking) represent a high risk for the brain of adolescents, their education and professional fulfillment in the society. Based on representative data collected in the Czech Republic within the framework of the ESPAD study in 2011 it may be noted that at least 22.8% of adolescents have participated in binge drinking three or more times during the last month. That would be almost 50 thousand individuals in the population born in the years 1994 and 1995. Almost 40% of adolescents at the age of 15 and 16 years first experienced alcohol even before they were 12, which increases brain vulnerability even further. The disturbing observation indicates that absolutely most adolescents drink alcohol regularly despite the fact that it is unlawful.

The given observations have far-reaching consequences in the health, economic and social area. It should motivate all those involved to better prevention in the family (Nešpor and Csémy, 2013), at school, and especially on the level of society as a whole.

Key words:

alcohol, adolescence, binge drinking, brain, cognitive functions

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Labels

Neonatology Paediatrics General practitioner for children and adolescents

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Article was published in

Czech-Slovak Pediatrics

2013 Issue 6