Chronic alcohol use is associated with changes in brain structure and connectivity9–11. Neuroimaging studies have shown that chronic heavy alcohol consumption (3 or more drinks for women and 4 or more drinks for men on any day) is associated with widespread patterns of macrostructural and microstructural changes, primarily affecting frontal, diencephalic, hippocampal, and cerebellar structures9,10,12. A recent meta-analysis of individuals with AUD (n = 433) showed lower gray matter volume (GMV) in the corticostriatal-limbic circuits, including regions of the prefrontal cortex, insula, superior temporal gyrus, striatum, thalamus, and hippocampus compared to healthy controls (n = 498)13. Notably, lower GMV in striatal, frontal, and thalamic regions was associated with AUD duration or lifetime alcohol consumption. Although alcohol consumption can produce global and regional tissue volume changes, frontal regions are particularly associated with these effects14–16. Further, research suggests that the effects of alcohol consumption on brain volume interact with the effects of aging9,17.
