Impact of alcohol on decision-making?

Alcohol impacts decision-making primarily by affecting the prefrontive cortex of the brain, a region critical for critical thinking, planning, and regulating impulsive behavior. When alcohol enters the brain, it suppresses neuronal activity in this area, reducing an individual’s ability to suppress impulsive choices and actions. This is why, at social gatherings with alcohol, you might notice an increase in loudness and uninhibited actions as individuals consume more alcohol. These effects are briefly noticeable after the first few drinks and can include increased physical activity like spontaneous dancing, louder speech, and sometimes more gesticulation 1.

Additionally, Andrew Huberman discusses the broader implications of regular alcohol consumption on neural circuits. Regular drinking, even if not daily but periodic like every weekend, can alter neural circuits related to habitual and impulsive behaviors. This restructuring increases habitual and impulsive behaviors even during periods when a person is not drinking. Over time, with continued alcohol consumption, these changes can become more pronounced and persistent 2. Understanding these impacts can help individuals make informed decisions about their alcohol consumption.