Alcohol

Structure of Ethanol

Fermented grain, fruit juice and honey have been produced to make alcohol (ethyl alcohol or ethanol) for thousands of years. This makes alcohol possibly the world's oldest known drug. The production of products containing alcohol has become big business in today's society and the consumption and abuse of alcohol has become a major public health problem. On this page, only the effects of alcohol on the brain and behavior will be discussed. For further information about other effects of alcohol, see the links at the bottom of this page.

Alcohol is considered to be a central nervous system depressant. There are several factors that influence how alcohol will affect a person. These include:
age
gender
physical condition
amount of food eaten
other drugs or medicines taken

The Path of Alcohol in the Body 1. Mouth: alcohol enters the body. 2. Stomach: some alcohol gets into     the bloodstream in the stomach,     but most goes on to the small intestine. 3. Small Intestine: alcohol enters     the bloodstream through the     walls of the small     intestine. 4. Heart: pumps alcohol throughout     the body. 5. Brain: alcohol reaches the brain. 6. Liver: alcohol is oxidized by the     liver at a rate of about 0.5 oz     per hour. Alcohol is converted into water,     carbon dioxide and energy.

In low doses,
alcohol produces:

a relaxing effect
reduces tension
lowers inhibitions
impairs concentration
slows reflexes
impairs reaction time
reduces coordination

In medium doses,
alcohol produces:

slur speech
cause drowsiness
alter emotions

In high doses,
alcohol produces:

vomiting
breathing difficulties
unconsciousness
coma

Alcohol is even considered to be neurotoxic since it can kill brain cells. I know you have heard it before, but read about the effects of alcohol again and I think you will come to the same conclusion:

Drinking and Driving Don't Mix

Alcoholism (addiction to alcohol) and chronic drinking can result in tolerance to the effects of alcohol and a variety of health problems. This page will focus only on the effects of alcohol on the brain and rest of the nervous system.

Effects of Alcohol on the Nervous System

As mentioned above, alcohol is a central nervous system depressant. It acts at many sites, including the reticular formation, spinal cord, cerebellum and cerebral cortex, and on many neurotransmitter systems. Alcohol is a very small molecule and is soluble in "lipid" and water solutions. Because of these properties, alcohol gets into the bloodstream very easily and also crosses the blood brain barrier. Some of the neurochemical effects of alcohol are:

1. Increased turnover of norepinephrine and dopamine
2. Decreased transmission in acetylcholine systems
3. Increased transmission in GABA systems
4. Increased production of beta-endorphin in the hypothalamus

Chronic drinking can lead to dependence and addiction to alcohol and to additional neurological problems. Typical symptoms of withholding alcohol from someone who is addicted to it are shaking (tremors), sleep problems and nausea. More severe withdrawal symptoms include hallucinations and even seizures.

Chronic alcohol use can:

Damage the frontal lobes of the brain
Cause an overall reduction in brain size and increase in the size of the ventricles.
Cause a vitamin deficiency. Since the digestion system of alcoholics is unable to absorb vitamin B-1 (thiamine), a syndrome known as "Wernicke's Encephalopathy" may develop. This syndrome is characterized by impaired memory, confusion and lack of coordination. Further deficiencies of thiamine can lead to "Korsakoff's Syndrome". This disorder is characterized by amnesia, apathy and disorientation. Widespread disease of the brain is a feature of both Wernicke's and Korsakoff's Syndromes.

Another consequence of alcohol use is Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). Inside the mother, a fetus is fed through the placenta. Since alcohol easily passes through the placenta, every time the mother drinks alcohol, the developing fetus gets a dose of alcohol. Alcohol disrupts normal brain development - THAT IS A FACT!!! Common facial characteristics of FAS Compared to normal babies, babies born with FAS have: smaller heads and brains some degree of mental retardation poor coordination hyperactivity abnormal facial features other birth defects
Moderate alcohol drinking by a mother during pregnancy may also lower the child's IQ. How alcohol causes these effects is not known. Perhaps alcohol affects the placenta in some way to alter the blood flow to the fetus. It is also unclear how much alcohol is necessary to cause these effects. Many pregnant women avoid alcohol completely...this seems to be the safest choice.

Information supplied by http://www.faculty.washington.edu