Rock ‘n’ roll and drugs have been inextricably linked since the beginning of the genre. But a hectic, drug-addicted lifestyle is not a recipe for longevity.
The death of Pogues singer and notorious party boy Shane MacGowan on Thursday at the age of just 65 is the latest victim of this phenomenon.
The Irish punk rocker suffered a serious brain infection last year which slowly robbed him of his independence.
But the musician, who was known to have crooked, rotten teeth, is no stranger to poor health.
In fact, MacGowan spent most of his adult life struggling with some form of illness stemming from chronic drug abuse.
Over the years, he has often been pictured stumbling out of bars drunk and slurring his words in interviews – or misremembering his lines.
When he was five years old, Mr. MacGowan drank two beers before bed. Three years later he came into contact with whiskey. According to neuroscientists, early alcohol exposure leads to permanent rewiring of brain circuits
At one point he allegedly took 100 acid tablets and then ate a Beach Boys record, causing severe bleeding from his mouth.
In 2000, MacGowan spent several months in rehab for heroin addiction.
The tragedy that blighted his life is perhaps not surprising as he was introduced to Guinness by his parents at the age of five.
An uncle gave him whiskey when he was eight years old. And the New York fairy-tale singer went to rehab for the first time after abusing a mixture of drugs at the age of 17.
But what happens to the body when it is exposed to toxic substances for such a long time and in such large quantities?
We put the question to top experts to find out if MacGowan’s health was ruined even before he graduated high school.
First and foremost, experts say that using substances for such long periods of time – despite numerous health problems – is evidence that MacGowan suffered from a substance use disorder.
Born to Irish parents, MacGowan became involved in the burgeoning punk movement in England in the 1970s
Dr. Erin Calipari, a pharmacologist and addiction researcher at Vanderbilt University, told DailyMail.com: “We see it all the time, we say ‘you almost died, why would you do it again?’ But that’s the digression.
She added: ‘They have these experiences but they don’t change their behavior like you or I would. And that’s why it’s so difficult to treat.”
In a 2001 interview, MacGowan said his family believed that exposing children to alcohol early would reduce the risk of excessive alcohol dependence later in life.
“All the kids who weren’t allowed to drink alcohol became raging alcoholics,” he told the Guardian.
Medical research says otherwise. Research shows that teenagers who start drinking before age 15 are four times more likely to develop alcohol addiction in the course of their lives than teenagers who start drinking after age 20.
The developing brain is extremely sensitive to the effects of alcohol.
Young brains undergo significant structural changes in response to experiences that older brains do not.
This is called brain plasticity and explains why children and adolescents are more vulnerable to the short- and long-term effects of alcohol than adults.
Dr. Calipari said: “The development phase is a very plastic time, which means things can change very easily.
“But once that period is exceeded, the cells in your brain can change more subtly and are no longer as adaptable.”
Basically, there is a crucial window in which the brain can change – and after this time the structures remain largely fixed.
“When you change the brain’s wiring with alcohol and drugs at this age, it changes the way your brain helps you make decisions.”
Drinking bottle after bottle for 60 years would almost certainly have changed the structure and volume of Mr MacGowan’s brain.
Dr. Calipari said, “Brain scans of people who have been drinking for a long time show that the size of the brain is significantly reduced compared to others.”
“It’s not something that just grows back.”
Chronic alcohol consumption disrupts the normal function of the dopamine reward pathway in the brain.
The chemical also regulates motivation and positive reinforcement.
Dr. Calipari added: “People think it’s a reward molecule, but in reality it’s a little more complicated than that.”
The feeling of joy that accompanies the release of dopamine is the brain’s way of recognizing and reinforcing useful, healthy behaviors such as eating delicious food, having sex, exercising well, and socializing with friends to to be.
But addictive drugs have a stronger rewarding effect. Experts compare the difference to hearing a scream through a microphone as opposed to a quiet whisper.
It also often makes you want more of the good things you have.
Chronic drug and alcohol use can cause the brain to adapt to increased levels of dopamine.
This reduces the natural amount of the substance produced, leading to depression, anxiety and hopelessness, as well as movement problems.
In the late 1970s, MacGowan was photographed kissing his girlfriend at a Clash concert. When they were torn apart, she bit his earlobe and his face was smeared with blood.
A dopamine deficiency also robs a person of the ability to recognize and think through the negative consequences of their alcohol or drug use. All that matters is the next dopamine rush.
Dr. Calipari added, “So what you’re experiencing is this lack of dynamic decision-making that affects your entire behavior of getting and taking the medication.”
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In his later years, MacGowan’s physical health declined. In 2012 he suffered from gastroenteritis, and a bad fall while dancing and alleged drunkenness in 2015 resulted in a broken pelvis and left him confined to a wheelchair. H
Dr. Calipari said, “Alcohol affects nutrient absorption, your gut microbiome, and those things affect your bones, your muscles, your metabolism.
“And all of these things can change your overall health.”
Chronic alcoholism is known to affect bone mineral density and increase the risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures.
Alcoholism also causes endocrine system disruption, including increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol, a reduction in testosterone, and thyroid dysfunction.
Alcohol is also known to impair heavy drinkers’ immune systems, making them more susceptible to infections.
Chronic alcoholism can lead to fatty liver disease, or the accumulation of fat cells in the liver, alcoholic hepatitis, cirrhosis and liver cancer.
His most recent health battle involved viral encephalitis, which is inflammation and swelling of the brain that can be life-threatening.
There may not be a direct link between alcohol and drug addiction and viral encephalitis, but a weakened immune system from years of drug use may have increased his risk.
He was diagnosed almost a year ago and was in and out of hospital in Dublin for treatment before being discharged last week, just before his upcoming birthday on Christmas Day.
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
