Here's some good news (formerly included in our research link but somehow accidentally deleted so I'll add back in.) I was reminded of it when reading this thread:

A 2004 Chappel Hill study indicates a mere *week* of abstinence resulted in an explosion of brain cell development. According to the report, "In the new study, senior co-author Crews and co-author Nixon found inhibition of neurogenesis, or brain cell development, during alcohol dependency, followed by a pronounced increase in new neuron formation in the hippocampus within four-to-five weeks of abstinence. This included a twofold burst in brain cell proliferation at day seven of abstinence."

Okay, the study subjects were adult rats, but this team was the same one to demonstrate the detrimental affects of alcohol on rat brains two years earlier. As the press release states, "This brain region is important for learning and memory--in animals and humans--and is linked to psychiatric disorders, particularly depression."

This exciting work contradicts the long held view that humans have a "fixed number of brain cells" for life. It is especially exciting for drinkers, who can regain cognitive function by quitting drinking or slowing down substantially.

It's also interesting the article mentions increased physical activity like running promotes neurogenesis--another reason to keep at that 20 to 30 minutes three times a week! The full article is here.

TBI poses a double whammy for those who drink, so I think this is particularly encouraging.

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Mwojewell