Diljit Dosanjh performed in Ahmedabad on Sunday. While on stage, he announced that he would completely stop singing songs which have references to alcohol if all states in India became dry states. His statement came in response to the Telangana government's notice threatening to ban him if he sang songs on alcohol during his recent concert in Hyderabad. Notably, the Punjabi singer also stressed the fact that he is a teetotaler. Alcohol has long drawn flak from health experts. The substance is known to affect our bodies very quickly. Research has shown that it reaches your brain in 5 minutes and in 10 mins it starts shoing its impact. What Exactly Is Alcohol?Alcohol is a chemical compound that typically refers to ethanol, the type found in alcoholic beverages like beer, wine, and spirits. It is produced through the fermentation of sugars by yeast, and when consumed, it acts as a depressant on the central nervous system. What Does Alcohol Do To Your Brain?Primarily, alcohol interferes with the brain's communication pathways. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), alcohol can also alter how the brain looks and functions. It disrupts the areas of the brain responsible for balance, memory, speech, and judgment, increasing the likelihood of injuries and other negative outcomes. Long-term alcohol consumption can permanently change neural pathways, leading to lasting cognitive and emotional effects.Moreover, it is a proven fact that alcohol can worsen mood swings. Recent research shows that alcohol may exacerbate symptoms of bipolar disorder by destabilizing mood, which impacts efficiency at work. Alcohol also affects conditions like depression, and panic disorder, and can trigger impulsive behaviour. Additionally, alcohol has been shown to disrupt sleep patterns, making it harder to get restorative rest.Alcohol Shrinks Your Brain TooA study led by Harvard University professor Dr. Kenneth J Mukamal found that brain volume shrank in proportion to the amount of alcohol consumed, even in light drinkers, compared to teetotalers. Dr Mukamal noted that this shrinkage may not be due to brain cell loss but rather changes in brain fluid levels. "There's a great deal of doubt about whether the atrophy seen on MRI scans is caused by brain cell death or fluid shifts within the brain," he explains. He also points out that the atrophy caused by alcohol consumption shows significant improvement within weeks after an alcoholic stops drinking, suggesting the shrinkage is reversible.