Alcohol Flashcards
What is alcohol?
A widespread and accepted drug in many cultures
Belongs to a sedative-hypnotics & anxiolytics class
Has no accepted medical use
What kind of alcohol do we consume?
Ethyl alcohol (‘grain’ alc)
Methyl alcohol can cause blindness, coma and death
How is alcohol produced?
Yeast fermentation can only produce up to 15%, therefore spirits are used via distillation to produce concentrations up to nearly 100%
What is the history of alcohol? How is it used today?
In 1600s the consumption of alcohol greatly increased resulting in several attempts to ban alcohol - but this lead to greater use/more potent drinks,
Today: 83% of people have drunk alcohol and 44% of students are binge drinkers
What is BAC?
Blood alcohol level
Legal limit is .8g/100ml
What is the lethal dose of alcohol?
.45
Why is alcohol dangerous?
It has an exceptionally low margin of use
The difference between a ‘healthy’ dose and death is not very big
Is alcohol self-administered in animals?
Yes - but difficult to initiate
Animals will readily self-administer IV alcohol thus thought self-admin may be due to taste?
What are the physiological effects of alcohol?
Increase blood circulation (hence warmth), inhibition of ADH (anti-diuretic hormones) and interference with sleep - makes it easier to get to sleep but decreases REM sleep
What are the pharmacokinetics for alcohol?
Small, non-ionised molecules easily diffuses across membranes with 90% absorbed in the small intestines
Presence of food or milk in stomach slows movement so less alcohol absorbed
How is alcohol excreted?
~10% in sweat, tears, urine and breath
Breath levels are usually good indicators of blood levels hence breathalyzers
How is alcohol broken down?
Alcohol -> acetaldehyde -> acetic acid
Alc -> acet = alcohol dehydrogenase
Acet -> acid = acetaldehyde dehydrogenase
How is tolerance developed with alcohol?
Acute: single drink will cause less behavioural effect
Chronic: reflects metabolic changes
What are the withdrawal symptoms of alcohol?
Hangover: caused by dehydration - suggested to be a mini withdrawal
Withdrawal from chronic use: dangerous (can be fatal); tremors, hallucinations, seizures etc
What are the mechanisms of alcohol?
Interacts with many targets (calcium channels, NMDAR, 5-HT etc)
Acts at GABAa receptor just like barbiturates in a similar way to barbiturates - enhances chloride entry by stimulating GABA release
Known to inhibit glutamatergic functions by slowing cations at NMDARs
Activates dopaminergic cells in VTA, causing release of DA in NAc
