You probably heard it from your parents, and you might have heard it from your teachers and your friends, "Alcohol kills brain cells." But, is this based on fact or is it a myth? To set the record straight, alcohol does not, nor has it ever killed brain cells.

So, the next time someone tells you that the drug kills brain cells, tell them that it's an old wives' tale, a rumor that was spread during U.S. Prohibition, according to YouTube's SciShow. Around the time that the 18th Amendment was passed, the American Temperance movement spread the rumor that drinking alcohol killed brain cells.

Since drunkards often slur their words, say stupid things, and stumble or blackout while under the influence, it was easy for people to believe the rumor and before long it spread like wildfire. It wasn't until the early 1990s, nearly 60 years after the Prohibition Act was repealed, that science debunked the myth that alcohol did not kill brain cells.

How as this myth busted? Researchers compared the brain cells of alcoholics with non-drinkers and could not find any notable differences. While it's true, alcohol does affect the brain by damaging connective tissue at the end of neurons, making it harder for people to focus and complete simple tasks, the damage is minor and does not result in cell death.

Though science has proven that alcohol doesn't kill brain cells, in excessive amounts it can lead to serious health issues, such as:

• Blackouts
• Memory lapses
• Nerve damage
• Cirrhosis of the liver
• Fetal alcohol syndrome (in newborns)
• Higher risk of prescription drug abuse
• Alcohol-induced damage to the heart muscle (cardiomyopathy)

So, if you want to drink like the other half of the world's population does, by all means indulge. But, like all things remember to do it in moderation.

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