18) Science shows alcohol can actually change how your gene are expressed! 🧬 it adds methyl groups to your DNA, which can turn off tumor-suppressor genes , increasing cancer risk over time
#epigenetics
#alcoholawarenessmonth
#alcoholresearch
17) Chronic Alcohol use slows down neurogenesis (the birth of new neurons, specifically in the hippocampus). 🧠Taking a break from alcohol allows the brain to begin repairing these vital circuits
#alcoholawarenessmonth
#brainrepair
#alcoholresearch
16) Congener Chaos: Darker liquors (bourbon, red wine) contain more congener (byproducts of fermentation) than clear spirits 🍷. These extra chemicals usually lead to significantly more intense hangovers.
#alcoholawarenessmonth
15) Alcohol is a “diuretic” but it also blocks the absorption of B-vitamins, espically Thiamine (B1). Long term deficiency can lead to serious neurological issues like Wernicks-Korasakoff syndrome
#alcoholawarenessmonth
Age was also a factor. Older participants tended to see more consistent results 🧠.
Why does this matter? By identifying these predictors, researchers can better design trials to reach the right people, reducing placebo response and helping with better medications for recovery
#alcoholawarenessmonth
The findings? Baseline habits matter. 📈
The study found that having fewer days of abstinence (specifically less than 3-5 days) before starting a trial and being in a “high” or “very-high” risk drinking category actually predicted better treatment success and trial completion
#alcoholawarenessmonth
New research alert 🚨 How can we make clinical trials for Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) more effective?
A study just out in Alcohol,Clinical, and experimental research by Hoffman et al. (2026) analyzed data from 5 major trials to find what predicts better outcomes 🧵👇
14) The Proof is in the Gunpowder: the term “100 proof” comes from the 16th century 📚 Sailors would douse gunpowder in rum ; if it’s still ignited, the alcohol content was “proved” (that’s about 57% ABV!) #alcoholawarenessmonth
#historyfacts
13) alcohol slows down the communication between your eyes and your brain 👀. This impairs peripheral vision and contrast sensitivity, making it harder to distinguish between objects and their backgrounds.
#alcoholawarenessmonth
#visionscience
12) The “Liver First” Rule: did you know your liver treats alcohol like a VIP guest? 🥂 it stops metabolizing fats and sugars to focus 100% on clearing ethanol. This metabolic “pause” is why chronic drinking leads to fatty liver disease
#alcoholawarenessmonth #liverdisease
#recovery
11) alcohol doesn’t just dehydrate your brain; it’s a thief for your skins glow ✨By triggering inflammation and depleting Vitamin A, it accelerates the breakdown of collagen.
Give your skin a break. Your reflection will thank you 😆
#alcoholawarenessmonth #skincarescience
10) ever wonder why a “liquid diet” can lead to a beer belly?🍺 it’s not just calories- it’s the metabolic hijacking. when you drink, your liver stops burning fat to focus on clearing the alcohol. Basically your fat engine pulls over to let the alcohol pass
#alcoholawarenessmonth #metabolism
9)Alcohol affects hydration.
It acts as a diuretic, causing your body to lose more fluids than it takes in. This can lead to dehydration, headaches, dry skin, and fatigue.
Dehydration can also impact focus, energy levels, and overall physical performance.
#AlcoholAwarenessMonth #stayHydrated
8)Alcohol can impact your weight. Many drinks are high in calories with little nutritional value—and those calories add up. Alcohol can also slow your metabolism and increase appetite, making it easier to overeat.
This can make it harder to maintain a healthy weight.
#AlcoholAwarenessMonth
7) Alcohol can weaken your immune system. Even moderate drinking can make it harder for your body to fight off illness by reducing your body’s ability to produce infection-fighting cells.
This can leave you more vulnerable to illness.
Stay strong—inside and out. 💪
#AlcoholAwarenessMonth #Wellness
6)Adolescent health isn’t just about the present it’s about the future
The Amico-Andrologo survey found that over 10,000 young men shows that heavy alcohol use during adolescence is significantly associated with lower testicular volume #Alcoholawarenessmonth
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1...
5) Alcohol can impact mental health more than many people realize. While it may feel like it helps you relax in the moment, it can actually increase feelings of anxiety and depression over time. #AlcoholAwarenessMonth #MentalHealthMatters
4) Alcohol doesn’t just affect your body, impacts your sleep quality too😴Even small amounts can disrupt REM sleep, leaving you feeling less rested the next day. Over time, poor sleep can affect mood, memory, and overall health.🧠
#AlcoholAwarenessMonth #SleepHealth
3) Excessive alcohol use isn’t just a health issue—it’s an economic one.
💰 Costs the U.S. ~$249 BILLION annually
📉 72% from lost productivity
🏥 Healthcare, crashes, crime drive the rest
That’s ~$807 per person—and rising.
We all pay the price.
#PublicHealth #AlcoholAwarenessmonth #healthadvocacy
2) How much is too much to drink? Heaving drinking is 4+ for women and 5+ for men in one day
#AlcoholAwarenessMonth #recovery #soberlife #alcoholresearch
April is #AlcoholAwarenessMonth. We will be posting a fact each day this month to spread the word about alcohol harm and awareness
1) Did you know alcohol drinking is a leading cause of preventable death in the US and it’s harmful effects contribute to 200+ health conditions
#recovery #research
Big changes coming to the NIH landscape!🧬
NIH is streamlining its grant process.
By reducing the number of highly specialized announcements, NIH is shifting the focus back to broad, investigator-initiated science. This means more room for innovative ideas!
grants.nih.gov/news-events/...
#NIH
We are also proud to announce @kathylindquist.bsky.social won first place for her graduate research poster presentation And Dr. Sanghoon Choi win second place for his postdoctoral research presentation
Incredible work by our next generation of #AUD scientists 🧠🥼
#neuroscience #GRC
We’re still buzzing from a successful 2026 Alcohol and the Nervous System GRC🧪✨
We are proud to have two students from our institution give prestigious talks at the conference @kathylindquist.bsky.social and @skylarhodgins.bsky.social !
#alcoholresearch #Neuroscience #GRC
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✅reliable, evidence based facts about alcohol and the brain
🧪a deep drive into cutting edge techniques
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Let’s talk science🧬🥼
#neuroscience #alcoholresesrch #sciencecommunication
Hello, Bluesky
We are the Charleston Alcohol Research Center (ARC) at MUSC
Our mission is to understand the neurobiology behind alcohol use disorder through rigorous science
We are here to bridge the gap between the lab bench and the public
#Scicomm #Neuroscience #Alcoholresearch
