Study finds reduced brain growth in alcoholics with family drinking history

The brains of alcohol-dependent individuals are affected not only by their own heavy drinking, but also by genetic or environmental factors associated with their parents’ drinking, according to a new study by researchers at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Researchers found reduced brain growth among alcohol-dependent individuals with a family history of alcoholism or heavy drinking compared to those with no such family history.



I've read that at some point in the distant past the average brain volume of our ancestors decreased. The theory is this was due to a software upgrade allowing us to pack more into a smaller space using less energy.

But might it have been due to the discovery of alcohol?

However,

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