Alcohol is disastrous for women

Women are far more vulnerable to alcohol-induced brain damage than men, scans have shown. CT pictures of the brains of more than 150 volunteers revealed how women come to more harm and quicker than men when they &to=http:// english.pravda.ru/region/2000/10/24/440.html ' target=_blank>drink heavily.

Scientists have suspected for some time that men might be more resilient to booze than women. The German research gives visible evidence of this.

The University of Heidelberg team published their findings in &to=http:// english.pravda.ru/fun/2001/10/31/19670.html ' target=_blank>Alcoholism, reports BBC News.

According to the Herrald Sun, the alcoholic participants were recruited from a six-week in-patient treatment program.

Professor Karl Mann, from the University of Heidelberg, who led the study, said: "We were able to confirm the telescoping course of alcohol dependence in women, meaning faster progression of the developmental events leading to dependence among female alcoholics and an earlier onset of adverse consequences."

The findings also showed that brain damage appeared to develop faster in women.

"We confirmed greater brain atrophy in alcoholic women and men compared to healthy controls," said Professor Mann. "Furthermore, the women developed equal brain-volume reductions as the men after a significantly shorter period of alcohol-dependence than the men."