Dr Consuelo Guerri, heard of Cellular Pathology in the Research Centre Príncipe Felipe Valencia

On the last 30 November, 2017 in the framework of the Conference ‘Addiction and Women: forgotten and invisible’, Dr Consuelo Guerri pointed the alcohol out to be the most popular between the general population and women. Even in recent years, it has been observed an increase in the consumption by the younger women between 14-16 years old, where prevalence similar or greater to boys is reached.

Dr Guerri pointed out that alcohol consumption is more harmful for women, because it causes a greater number of pathologies, including the development of alcoholic liver disease, neuroinflammation and brain damage, together with alterations of the immune system. On the other hand, the reversibility of these pathologies, when alcohol is eliminated, is more unlikely in women than in men.

From basic research, Dr Guerri has shown that exposure to ethanol during the development and maturation of the brain, including adolescence and fetal development, is associated with structural and functional brain alterations, which are more marked and irreversible in females than in males.

Therefore, the data obtained indicate that the female gender is more vulnerable than the male to the neurotoxic and addictive effects of alcohol.