Alcohol Flashcards
safe drinking levels
women -> 10 drinks/week; no more than 2/day
men -> 15 drinks/week; no more than 3/day
alcohol addiction vs alcoholism
alcohol addiction = medical disorder
alcoholism = not recognized as diagnosis
terms used to describe unhealthy levels of alcohol use
4 elements
- problematic alcohol use
- alcohol use disorder
- alcohol abuse
- as well as scores on structured interviews such as AUDIT
trajectory of alcohol effects
6 elements
stage #1 -> stimulation
1. relaxation (after 1-2 drinks)
2. disinhibition (after 3-4 drinks)
stage #2 -> sedation
3. impaired motor function
4. stupor
5. coma
6. death (in a single bout)
ethanol metabolism
4 elements
- ethanol -> acetaldehyde (via alcohol dehydrogenase/ADH)
- acetaldehyde -> acetate (via aldehyde dehydrogenase/ALDH)
- acetate enters tricyclic acid cycle -> converted to CO2
- reactions dependent on NAD and mt electron transport
when is ROS produced during ethanol metabolism
when ethanol is metabolized in peroxisomes
where are ADH and ALDH expressed
mostly in liver, some in parts of digestive tract
effect of regular alcohol consumption on ADH and ALDH
upregulation of enzymes
what causes symptoms of hangover
2 elements
- excess of aldehyde
- ROS
what happens when deficiency of ALDH
build up of aldehyde -> protection against addiction
effects of initial use of alcohol (2) + neurobiology involved (2)
- positive reinforcement + reward phase
- increased DA + opioid reward systems involved
effects of heavy or binge drinking (2) + neurobiology involved (4)
- tolerance (can drink large quantities/DAr become intolerant) + regulated drug-seeking
- neuroadaptations in DA, glutamate, GABA and endocannabinoid systems
effects of withdrawal (4) + neurobiology involved (2)
- negative affect + associated with anxiety + depression + anhedonia
- neuroadaptations in reward and stress systems drive compulsive consumption + increased value of drug stimuli and reduced sensitivity to natural reinforcers
effect of craving
compulsive drug seeking
mechanism of DA release in alcohol reward phase
disinhibiting GABA control of VTA DA release, via opioid peptide
acute effects in brain during reward phase
3 elements
- 5HT and NE released
- release pharmacological levels of DA activating D1 receptors
- initiate a ‘liking’ for the drug
primary site of reward phase activity
mesolimbic -> VTA and dorsal striatum
changes in brain during tolerance, regulated relapse phase
4 elements
- alcohol-dependent epigenetic changes become stabilized
- changes in NMDAr and AMPAr -> reinforces excessive drug taking
- glutamate projections to PFC still effective, but aversive signals competing with positive reinforcement
- midbrain stress system (CeAmyg, BNST, NAcc) increasingly active
brain effects in withdrawal phase
3 elements
- activation of CeAmyg stress circuit
- decreased levels/efficacy of DA, 5HT, enkephalin, endocannabinoids
- increased levels of CRH, CRH receptors, dynorphin, orexin, substance P
brain changes in compulsive drug seeking phase
4 elements
- morphological changes in striatal neurons
- changes in signalling
- CRH and glutamatergic systems hypersensitive in withdrawn individuals
- GABA dysregulated
relation bw D1 and GABAr
activation of D1 facilitates GABA-Ar sensitivity