NEUROTOXIC MECHANISMS OF ALCOHOL AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASES: A LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

Excessive and prolonged alcohol consumption constitutes a significant public health issue, associated with various systemic and neurological consequences. This study aims to analyze the relationship between chronic alcohol consumption and the development of neurological alterations and neurodegenerative processes, emphasizing the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms. This is a descriptive literature review conducted using the PubMed database, prioritizing publications from 2020 to 2026, alongside earlier studies deemed relevant to the topic's foundation. Keywords related to alcohol consumption, the central nervous system, neurotoxicity, neurodegeneration, and cognitive impairment were used, combined via the Boolean operators AND and OR. Literature analysis demonstrated that chronic alcohol exposure is associated with alterations in neurotransmission, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and blood-brain barrier impairment, as well as structural changes in gray and white matter. These mechanisms can contribute to neuronal injury and deficits in memory, attention, and executive functions, while also increasing cerebral vulnerability to neurodegenerative processes. Recent evidence also indicates an association between heavy alcohol consumption and an increased risk of cognitive impairment and dementia, including Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. Thus, chronic and excessive alcohol consumption can be considered a significant modifiable factor associated with brain damage and cognitive impairment, underscoring the need for prevention strategies, harm reduction, and the early identification of neurological alterations linked to its use.