Ethanol and CNS

Question 1

What concentration of ethanol depresses the CNS?

Answer 1

5-100mM

Question 2

How is the CNS depressed by ethanol?

Answer 2

Enhancement of inhibitory of depression of excitatory NTS

Enhancement of neurone membrane conductance to cause hyperpolarisation

Question 3

What is one unit of ethanol?

Answer 3

10ml of pure substance

or 25ml of spirit or 175ml of wine

Question 4

What type of receptors are inhibitory?

Answer 4

GABA and glycine receptors

Action is enhanced by alcohol

Question 5

What types of receptors are excitatory?

Answer 5

Glutamate receptors

Action is inhibited by alcohol

Question 6

What shape and type are GABA receptors?

Answer 6

Pentamer shape
GABAa are ligand gated ion channels
GABAb are GPCRs

Question 7

What affect does alcohol have on GABA receptors?

Answer 7

Alcohol positively modulates GABA

Question 8

What type are glutamate receptors?

Answer 8

Lligand gated and GPCR

Question 9

What affect does alcohol have on Glutamate receptors?

Answer 9

Alcohol inhibits glutamates actions

Question 10

Give an example of a glutamate receptor that is receptive to alcohol

Answer 10

NMDA

Question 11

What is the effect of NMDA antagonists?

Answer 11

NMDA = glutamate
glutamate is an excitatory receptor
glutamate is inhibited by alcohol
NMDA antagonists act like alcohol and are used when addicts are sober instead of alcohol

Question 12

What is the reward pathway called?

Answer 12

Mesolimbic dopaminergic pathway

Question 13

Response to prolonged alcohol use?

Answer 13

Up regulation of NMDA glutamate receptors to counteract the alcohols inhibitory affect
Down regulation of GABA receptors due to overstimulation