Abstract
Background: Alcohol related brain damage (ARBD) is a condition resulting from chronic and heavy alcohol use, causing diffuse damage to both white and grey matter in the brain. It primarily affects immediate and delayed memory, attention, visuospatial function and executive function, leading to significant difficulty with new learning and maintaining relationships. People with ARBD are capable of recovery, but the variety of presenting problems and difficulties in accessing services often mean that rehabilitation is either not initiated or left incomplete, leading to continued alcohol use and further damage to the brain.
Aim: This review aims to synthesize existing evidence on multidisciplinary rehabilitation for individuals with ARBD, with a focus on intervention adaptations and patient outcomes.
Method: A narrative synthetic review was conducted through targeted searches of PubMed, APA PsycINFO, and Google Scholar for literature published between 1980 and 2024, focusing on medical, occupational therapy, and psychosocial rehabilitation in ARBD populations.
Results: The evidence supports multidisciplinary rehabilitation for individuals with ARBD. Key components include medical management of co-morbidities, occupational therapy-led functional and environmental assessments, and adapted psychosocial interventions. Crucially, interventions must be adapted for cognitive impairments, supported by trained staff and coordinated multidisciplinary care. While residential rehabilitation services provide significant benefits, effective community-based adaptations remain essential for accessible, ongoing support.
Conclusion: ARBD rehabilitation is effective when services are multidisciplinary, cognitively informed, and adapted to individual needs. Expanding specialist provision, upskilling staff, and developing community-based models are essential for reducing relapse rates, improving quality of life, and achieving long-term cost savings. Further research is needed to evaluate scalable, evidence-based rehabilitation pathways and examine the contributions of equally important disciplines such as social work, dietetics, physiotherapy, and psychiatry.
Keywords
Alcohol-related brain damage, ARBD, Multidisciplinary rehabilitation, Cognitive impairment, Adapted rehabilitation, Medical rehabilitation, Occupational therapy rehabilitation, Psychosocial
rehabilitation