Alcohol Flashcards
First, second, third, etc.
Alcohol is the ____ most used drug
2nd
Ethanol (Basic Definition)
The alcohol type typically ingested. Widespread use across the world (about 50% have used at some point in their lives).
Isopropanol
Rubbing alcohol, very potent, can have severe depressant effects, not reccomended for human consumption
Methanol
AKA wood alcohol, metabolized by liver enzymes and creates formaldehyde (very toxic)
David Nutt
Scientist studying the different level of harm (harms to others and harms to users) caused by different drugs.
Three ideas by David Nutt
How to reduce harm of alcohol
- Make alcohol more expensive
- Reduce alcohol advertisement
- Lower DUI limit
Proof of alcohol
Corresponds to double whatever the percentage the alcohol in the drink (ABV/alcohol by volume) is.
Fermentation (Alcohol)
Sugar and yeast ferment to make alcohol & CO2. Fermentation is used for beer and nonfortified wine making. It is no more than 15% alcohol by volume.
Distillation (Alcohol)
The act of boiling fermented alcohol (alcohol has a lower boiling point than water), which then goes through a still to cool the alcohol and then goes through a condensing tube to condense into distilled ethanol.
A standard drink is defined as ____
14g of pure alcohol (so a 12 oz beer and a 1.5 oz shot are BOTH a standard drink)
Early alcoholic beverages were made from ____
Barley or honey
The 18th Amendment & The 21st Amendment
18th: The law enacting nationwide prohibition (USA, 1920)
21st: The law ending nationwide prohibition (USA, 1933)
Ethanol (Pharmacokinetics)
- Both water and lipid soluble
- Orally administrated (other ways NOT advised)
- Absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract, high in (non-nutritional) calories
- High alcohol by volume (ABV) irritates the gastrointestinal tract and slows absorption of nutrients (it is better to drink and/or eat food with alchohol, as it slows alcohol absorption, carbonated drinks ideal)
- Interferes with thiamine (Vitamin B) transporter
Peak absorption of alcohol is ____ after drinking
45 mins
Where does alcohol metabolism occur?
The stomach and the liver.
Acetaldehyde
What alcohol is metabolized into, is toxic, causes headaches, fast heart rate, nausea, face-flushing. Buildup of acetaldehyde causes the “hangover” feeling after a night of drinking.
Acetic acid and acetate
Metabolites of acetaldehyde
Name of the alcohol metabolizer enzyme
Alcohol dehydrogenase
Alcohol dehydrogenase polymorphism
If someone is homozygous for an inactive form of alcohol dehydrogenase, they will have much more severe effects from amounts of alcohol vs someone heterozygous or homozygous for the active form of alcohol dehydrogenase (which metabolizes alcohol faster).
First-order kinetics
First-order kinetics is concentration dependent. A low dose of alcohol follows first order kinetics.
Decreases exponentially more so than linearly.
Zero-order kinetics
Zero-order elimination is a constant, linear form of elimination. A higher dose of alcohol follows zero order kinetics.
Elimination rate for alcohol
0.015 g/100mL/hour
Roughly ____% of alcohol is eliminated in pure form through the ____
5%, eliminated through the lungs
Alcohol and GABA(A) receptors.
- Alcohol is a positive allosteric modulator for GABA(A) receptors
- Has inhibitory effects
NMDARs and Alcohol
- Alcohol inhibits NMDA receptors
- NMDARs important for long-term potentiation (memory)
- Chronic alcohol use causes upregulation (increased receptors) of NMDARs
Effect of downregulated GABA(A) and upregulated NMDARs
Chronic alcohol use decreases the amount of GABA (inhibitory neurotransmitter) receptors in the brain, as the brain is compensating for the alcohol increasing GABA’s effects. It also increases the amount of NDMA (excitatory) receptors in the brain, as the brain is compensating for alcohol inhibiting the activity of NDMA receptors.
Hence, when someone is addicted to alcohol and has been drinking a moderate to heavy amount over a long period of time, when they try to quit, they will get withdrawal symptoms of neurological excitation (due to low levels of GABA receptors and high levels of NDMA receptors no longer being “countered” with the alcohol’s depressive effects). These symptoms can include milder ones like agitation, or more severe ones like seizures, due to the neurotransmitter imbalance.
Disinhibition
An inhibitory interneuron inhibits the firing of a neuron. Alcohol inhibits the inhibitory interneuron, allowing the other neuron to fire more frequently (a double-negative sort of effect).
Importantly, the hormone affected and its effects on the body
Alcohol and Calcium
- Alcohol inhibits L-type calcium channels, which results in widespread effects
- Linked to decreased vasopressin, aka antidiuretic hormone (ADH)
- So alcohol causes dehydration, as lack of vasopressin means you will eliminate water faster (increased urination)
Possibly increased aggression, but evidence is not final
Alcohol increases this in the VTA (ventral tegmental area)
Beta-endorphins
Beta-endorphins are endogenous opiods.
Alcohol increases this in the NAcc (nucleus accumbens)
Serotonin function (and indirectly, dopamine)
At low concentrations, alcohol has ____-like effects. At higher concentrations, alcohol has ____-like effects.
Lower Concentrations: Stimulant-like effects (alcohol is NOT a stimulant, but lowers your inhibitions which can make you feel more gregarious)
Higher concentrations: Depressant effects
Long-term potentiation (LTP)
LTP strengthens synaptic connections in the brain that occur when we have memories. This is regulated by our NMDA receptors. After sufficient levels of stimulation of the receptors, magnesium (blocking sodium and calcium) is expelled and it activates long-term potentiation to generate memories.
[https://youtu.be/-mHgPfXHzJE?si=pbmo9ZXLCUVxjQTk]
Hormesis/Low Alcohol Consumption
At low doses, alcohol may benefit the heart.
How does alcohol affect:
Divided attention?
Vigilance/sustained attention?
Alcohol impedes divided attention at low or high doses, but does not impede vigilance/sustained attention at high doses.
How does alcohol affect working memory?
Alcohol does not heavily affect working memory, instead, it affects long term potentiation/your ability to remember what happened while you were under the influence.
Alcohol and sexual functioning
- Desire
- Blood flow
- Orgasmic latency
Alcohol increases desire; it decreases genital blood flow; and decreases orgasmic intensity
Stupor
A state of near-unconsciousness
High BAC
Brownouts vs Blackouts
Brownouts cut out fragments of memory, blackouts cut out whole blocks of memory
High BAC
“Reversible drug-induced
dementia”
High BAC may cause similar effects to dementia.
Alcohol poisoning
If someone consumes too much alcohol in a short period, their blood alcohol concentration (BAC) will spike and they will develop alcohol poisoning. Symptoms of alcohol poisoning include vomiting, unconsciousness, stupor, etc. and in severe cases, it can cause death.
List a few specific conditions arising from alcohol overuse
Deadly consequences of alcohol use
- Cardiomyopathy
- Liver cirrhosis (chronic drinking)
- Fetal alcohol syndrome (drinking when pregnant)
- Cancer (liver, intestinal, breast)
- Wernicke-Korsakoff’s syndrome (Alcohol-induced dementia/anterograde amnesia)
Acute alcohol tolerance
Alcohol tolerance within one session ( the body is increasing enzymes metabolized, etc.), you may feel like you’re “sobering up” as your blood alcohol level declines, despite having a higher overall BAC than when you initially felt intoxicated.
Alcohol
Metabolic/pharmacodynamic tolerance
Someone develops more alcohol metabolites when consuming alcohol over time
Alcohol Addiction Type I
Onset is after 25, in any gender, moderate extent of genetic influence, high environmental influence, alcohol is used as an escape, lower rate of inability to stop alcohl use
Alcohol Addiction Type II
Onset is before 25, usually in males extent of genetic influence is high, environmental influence is low, alcohol is used to feel good, and there’s a higher rate of aggression inability to stop alcohol use
Withdrawal from alcohol results to effects ____ to alcohol use
Opposite
Delirium tremens (DTs)
Dangerous symptom of alcohol withdrawal: Involves nightmares, sweating, hallucinations, paranoia, hypertension, etc.
Not mentioned in class, but has a high mortality rate if untreated
Kindling (alcohol)
People undergoing repeated cycles of intoxication/addiction -> abstinence -> back to intoxication will experience more severe withdrawal symptoms with each successive cycle.
How to help a hangover
Drink water, fill your stomach (spicy food especially good as it increases endogenous opiods), and painkillers before bed may be okay but do NOT take acetaminophen (tylenol) as it is metabolized through the liver, and thus the combination can be toxic and cause liver failure.
