title: Binge drinking and cognitive impairment in young people.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the links between the binge pattern of drinking and the development of cognitive impairment in young adults in the UK. To determine from the findings whether cognitive impairment is an additional public health concern manifesting from this form of alcohol misuse and its relevance to nursing practice.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Young adults in the UK are participating in binge drinking; a 'harmful' form of alcohol misuse. Morbidity and mortality associated with alcohol misuse is already a public health concern.
  
  
  METHODS
  Literature review.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multiple database searches were undertaken, which revealed three case-control studies. The studies all investigated the binge pattern of drinking as well as meeting the following inclusion criteria; primary research published from 2005 onwards, used a human sample, participants were aged 18 to 24 and cognitive function was tested.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The quantitative data found cognitive impairment present in young adult binge drinkers, specifically in regions of the frontal lobe, temporal lobe and hippocampus. Individually the studies did not pose strong enough evidence to generalise findings. However, collectively the core findings along with previous studies can validate the link between binge drinking and cognitive impairment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nurse-led alcohol misuse screening and brief intervention is the most effective public health prevention strategy. It is important for nurses to keep abreast of current evidence to better inform their practice and the information they provide to their service users. This review emphasises the need for nurses to routinely screen young adults and address the associated risk to cognitive function when participating in harmful drinking.
authors: Staff Nurse, Portsmouth NHS Trust.
authors: Claire
authors: C
authors: Thayanukulvat
authors: Tracey
authors: T
authors: Harding
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D063425:Binge Drinking; D003072:Cognition Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Alcohol; Binge drinking; Cognitive impairment; Dementia; Harmful alcohol misuse; Young adults