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Drugs And Behaviour > Alcohol > Flashcards

Alcohol Flashcards

1
Q

Fermentation

A

-yeast + sugar + water = CO2 + ethanol

  • yeast converts sugar molecules into alcohol and CO2
  • yeast are living micro-organisms which die in concentrations of alcohol greater than 15%
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2
Q

Distillation

A
  • boiling point of alcohol is lower than water
  • hard liquor 40-50% alcohol
  • whisky = distilled grain
  • rum = distilled molasses
  • gin = any sugar source
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3
Q

Alcohol content of beverage

A

-specific gravity of alcohol is 0.8 of that of water

  • 1L of alcohol weighs 800g
  • percentage may be by weight or vol

-40% alcohol by weight = 50% by volume

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4
Q

History

A
  • frugivore: eater of fruit
  • hominin ancestors were frugivors
  • fruit contains sugar and subject to fermentation
  • alcohol has been a part of evolutionary diet
  • taste and smell associated with food and nourishment
  • brewing alcohol since 10,000 years ago
  • fermentation used by Chinese, Egyptians, Greeks, romans
  • distillation invented by alchemists 1000 years ago
  • production of spirits became widespread in Europe in 17th century
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5
Q

BAL

A
  • measured indirectly in exhaled air by breathalyzer

- 0.08% = 80mg alcohol/100ml blood

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6
Q

Absorption

A
  • small simple molecule that cannot be ionized
    • low lipid solubility
    • passes through membranes easily
  • absorbed from small intestine (90%) and stomach (10%)
  • small molecules move across membrane barriers through passive diffusion
    • readily entering most tissues including brain
  • food slows absorption by delaying movement to small intestine
  • carbonated drinks absorbed more rapidly because carbonation speeds movement from stomach to intestine
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7
Q

Factors affecting absorption

A
  • concentration
    • increases absorption up to 40% (by weight) and then decreases
  • previous drinking speeds absorption
    • more efficient absorption and metabolism
  • ulcer medications/aspirin impairs gastric metabolism and increases
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8
Q

Metabolism

A
  • follows zero order kinetics
    • rate of metabolism is constant regardless of concentration in blood
  • average metabolism is about 1 drink per hour
  • alcohol dehydrogenase and CYP enzymes in liver metabolize alcohol (through oxidation)
    • presence of other drugs can affect CYP ability to metabolize alcohol
  • regular alcohol consumption increases CYP enzymes - metabolic tolerance
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9
Q

Metabolism/excretion

A
  • alcohol converted to acetaldehyde by alcohol dehydrogenase
  • acetaldehyde converted to Acetyl CoA
  • acetyl CoA converted to water and CO2 in citric acid cycle
  • 95% secreted as CO2 and water in urine, while 5% excreted through lungs
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10
Q

Neuropharmacology

A
  • actions similar to general anaesthetics and many solvents
  • does not work at a receptor site or sites
  • blocked the ion channel controlled by glutamate via NMDA receptor sites
    • antagonist
    • causes cognitive impairment and analgesia effects
    • inhibits LTP (black outs)
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11
Q

Serotonin

A
  • stimulated serotonin receptors which contribute to release of dopamine in nucleus acumbens
    • reinforcing affect
  • serotonin antagonists block some effects of alcohol
    • LSD
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12
Q

GABA

A
  • enhances GABA inhibition effect at GABA-A receptors
  • some alcohol effects can be blocked by a GABA blocker

-also alters MAO and responsiveness of endogenous opiate system

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13
Q

NTs involved

A
  • affects NT and neuromodulator systems
    • DA, NE, 5HT, Glutamate, GABA, Ach, adenosine, and opioid peptide systems
  • DA and GABA most important in addictive properties
  • actions on other systems help modulate is DA and GABA effects
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14
Q

BA conc curve

A
  • in rising stage increased DA cell firing
    • stimulation - energy, excited, talkative
  • in decreasing stage GABA effects more prominent
  • continued drinking needed to maintain DA release
  • high GABA will inhibit DA release
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15
Q

HR and sensitivity to DA related effects

A
  • increased cardiac reactivity during ascending limb of BAC has been proposed to be a marker for heightened sensitivity to alcohols DA related effects
  • elevated HR response to alcohol associated with increased risk for developing alcohol related problems
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16
Q

Alcohol induced HR change and stimulant related effects

A

-High heart rate response to alcohol associated with a reward seeking personality profile

17
Q

Role of dopamine in alcohol self administration in humans

A
  • mixture deficient in phenylalanine and tyrosine causes protein synthesis diminishing the body’s stores of those two AAs and increasing competition of other AAs for transport across BBB
  • reduced DA production
  • those with HHRR saw a depletion of DA release
  • no difference in LHRR individuals

-DA important for some people but not others

18
Q

Psychostimulant users sensitive to stimulant properties of alcohol as indexed by cardigan reactivity

A

Stimulant users show higher DA than hallucinogen users or none users

19
Q

Effects on the body

A
  • increased blood flow to skin
  • increased urination
  • decreases time to sleep but doesnt increase total sleep time
  • REM depression with rebound in single night or after several nights
  • alcohol withdrawal can involve disrupted sleep patterns
20
Q

Effects of behaviour and performance

A
  • 0.05-0.1
    • talkative, excitable
  • 0.1-0.15
    • talkative, cheerful, loud, then sleepy
  • 0.15+
    • nausea, vomiting
  • 0.2+
    • sleepy, noisy, inattentive
  • 0.3-0.4
    • unconscious
  • 0.5
    • LD50

-variability due to drinking history, tolerance, environment, motivation,

21
Q

Perception

A
  • 0.07
    • decreased visual acuity
    • decreased peripheral vision
  • 0.08
    • decreased pain sensitivity
22
Q

Performance

A
  • 0.08
    • slows reaction time by 10%
    • greater effect on complex reaction time and tasks requiring information processing
  • PET shows decreased blood flow to cerebellum (disrupts hand eye coordination)
    • can occur at 0.02 BAC
  • decreases performance in dose related manner
  • drowsiness interferes with vigilance and concentration
  • disruption of DSST
  • expectancy and motivation can alter effects
23
Q

Memory

A
  • storage and retrieval disrupted
  • PET studies in long term alcohol abusers show decreased metabolism in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex
    • correlated with deficits in memory and attention
24
Q

Driving

A
  • effects detected at 0.05
  • driving errors correlated with functional changes in orbitofrontal cortex and motor regions
  • risk of accident increases with BAL
  • different for different populations
  • young people more susceptible
25
Q

Disinhibition

A
  • adverse consequences
  • lose ability to control behaviour
  • go-stop task
    • alcohol doesnt interfere with GO signal
    • decreases STOP signal latency

-doesnt consider negative consequences as much

26
Q

Tolerance

A

-acute tolerance = effects of alcohol are greater when blood level is rising than when falling

  • chronic tolerance
    • metabolism tolerance somewhat faster in light to moderate drinkers
    • Behavioural tolerance due to practice while intoxicated
27
Q

Withdrawal

A
  • stage 1
    • early minor symptoms
    • 8-12 hours - 48 hours
    • tremors, agitation, cramps
  • stage 2
    • late major symptoms
    • delirium, DTs
    • 5% withdrawal admissions
    • disorientation, confusion, hallucinations, seizures, death
    • death possibly 37% if untreated, 2% if treated
    • hallucinations are usually small animals
28
Q

Human self-administration factors that affect consumption

A
  • women drink less but achieve same BAL (explained by gender differences in body weight and composition)
  • as people age they drink just as often but consume less on each occasion
29
Q

Change in drinking patterns 2002-2012

A
  • higher proportion of alcohol consumption
  • women account for most of the change
    • societal shifts
30
Q

Adverse effects

A
  • ED50 0.15
  • LD50 0.5
  • therapeutic index = 3.5
    • very low
  • death due to respiratory depression or inhaled vomit
31
Q

Hangover

A
  • could be due to dehydration, low blood sugar, or irritation of digestive system
  • can be serious for other with epilepsy, heart disease or diabetes
32
Q

Harmful effects

A

-liver cirrhosis
-scarring of liver
-usually fatal if drinking not stopped
-5 year survival rate if drinking not stopped is 35-48%
If stopped 63-77%
-mouth, throat, liver cancers

33
Q

FAS

A
  • fetal alcohol syndrome
  • symptoms include retardation, poor coordination, loss of muscle tone, low birth weigh, slow growth, malformation of internal organs, peculiar facial characteristics
34
Q

Antabuse

A
  • treatment for alcoholism
  • black aldehyde dehydrogenase and allows build up of acetaldehyde which makes people sick
  • if you drink alcohol you get sick
  • not effective alone
35
Q

Serotonin drugs

A
  • SSRIs reduce cravings/drinking

- may be related to antidepressant effects

Drugs And Behaviour (6 decks)

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