Alcohol is a beverage that is consumed on various occasions, and it is well known that it has a negative effect on our health and well-being. It is harmful for various organs of our body, especially the liver and the brain. Alcohol has a global effect on our brain: affecting several structures and functions of the brain. This review paper summarizes the impact of alcohol consumption on the structure and function of the human brain. There are several structural changes that occur due to excessive alcohol intake that mainly include the general shrinkage of production and availability of the brain & major neurotransmitters. It increases the production of GABA and Dopamine and inhibits the reuptake of serotonin. Alcohol can impair many cognitive functions of the brain especially the functions of the frontal lobe such as judgement, decision making, lower inhibitions and executive function. It also disrupts memory and leaning. The major findings indicated that the effects of alcohol consumption depend on the amount that is consumed, if consumed in low to moderate amounts, it can actually serve to be beneficial for our brain and general health both. It has been linked to increase in white and gray matter, low chances of Alzheimer disease, protects the cardiovascular system and can prevent heart attack. Another major finding was that the structural and functional changes due to alcohol are reversible through absenteeism but if the damage is profound because of heavy intake the reversal can take long time or might not occur at all.

Keywords: Alcohol, Addiction, Brain, Consumption, Function, Structure