Chapter 3 Alcohol and Neuroscience Flashcards
Cannabinoids (CB):
Most common metabotropic receptor in CNS
Anandamide -
endogenous cannabinoid (endogenous=coming from our body)
Where is CB1 ?
○ Cortex (cognition)
○ Hippocampus (memory)
○ Hypothalamus (body temp., hunger)
■ CB may explain “runner’s high”
○ Area postrema (vomiting)
● CB1 activation modulates other NTs
○ CB1
receptors located presynaptically
● CB2
found on microglia
Alcohol
● C2H5OH is just one type
○ Ethanol
Fermentation:
production of alcohol from sugars via yeast
○ Have to start with sugary substance
○ Add yeast and wait a few weeks… you have alcohol
Distillation:
heated process that concentrates alcohol
Origins of alcohol
○ 200 million years or so (Mesozioic era)
○ When yeast first appeared
○ Baker’s yeast is same species as brewer’s yeast
■ Top fermenting - ale
■ Bottom fermenting - lager
Effects of Alcohol
● 2 Types
○ Non-specific effects (placebo)
■ Expectancy, experience and setting (beer bong at a frat party vs. glass of
wine with 1 friend)
○ Specific Effects (presence of chemical in tissues)
Effects of Alcohol
Absorption of Alcohol
○ Stomach - only small quantities absorbed
○ Most absorbed in small intestines
○ Eating food slows absorption
■ Alcohol in stomach longer, suppresses how much alcohol gets into our
blood
■ Broken down by enzyme before absorption
■ CO2 moves alcohol to small intestine more quickly
Metabolism/effects
● Requires no digestion →bloodstream
● Cannot be converted into protein or fat
● …but into carbs (similar molecularly)
● GABA agonist/glutamate antagonist (“dirty drug”)
● Women have less alcohol dehydrogenase in stomach
○ Will become drunk much faster than men
● Liver metabolizes alcohol (90%)
○ Rest through urine, skin, breath
Metabolism steps
○ Alcohol + alcohol dehydrogenase (enzyme)
○ =acetaldehyde
○ Acetaldehyde + acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (enzyme)
○ =acetic acid (can break down as energy)
■ Antabuse inhibits this step
■ Asian descent, some have mutation where they can’t break down alcohol
as well
