Exam 3: Alcohol

Question 1

form of alcohol used in beverages

Answer 1

ethanol (ethyl alcohol)

unscheduled

Question 2

toxic forms of alcohol

Answer 2

isopropyl and methyl alcohol

Question 3

methanol metabolites and posioning symptoms

Answer 3

metabolites: in liver: formic acid and formaldehyde

poisoning symptoms: blindness, coma, death, antifreeze!!

Question 4

isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) metabolite and poisoning symptoms

Answer 4

metabolite: acetone

poisoning symptoms: flushing, headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, anesthesia, hypothermia, low BP, shock, respiratory depression

Question 5

percentage alcohol

Answer 5

percent expressed as grams of alcohol / 100mL solution

Question 6

proof of alcohol

Answer 6

double the percentage of alcohol
- a beverage 50% alcohol by volume is 100 proof

16th century England - alcohol tax and burn, no-burn test

Question 7

standards for wine, beer, hard liquor, wine cooler that each raise your blood alcohol content (BAC) by same amount

Answer 7

wine: 5 oz glass
beer: 12 oz can
hard liquor: cocktail with 1.5 oz spirits
wine cooler: 12 oz

Question 8

BAC (blood alcohol content/concentration)

Answer 8

reported in mg alcohol/ 100mL blood

ex: 80mg alcohol /100mL blood = 0.08% BAC

Question 9

absorption of alcohol

Answer 9

ROA: oral (most common), rectal, inhalation

ethanol absorbed from GI tract, enters most tissues - even brain

many factors influence blood levels of ethanol: behavioral effects based on BAC not amount consumed

passive diffusion: high concentration to low

greater concentration of alcohol consumed more rapid the movement
food slows absorption

Question 10

sex differences in absorption and distribution

Answer 10

-lower total body water content in women
-reduced 1st pass metabolism in women
(alcohol dehydrogenase in gastric fluids is 60% more active in men than women)

Question 11

distribution- prenatal ethanol

Answer 11

alcohol readily passes through placental barrier and fetus will quickly reach same BAC as mother

• fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) from alcohol exposure causes long term developmental consequences

Question 12

FAS: fetal alcohol syndrome

Answer 12

• intellectual disability and developmental delays
• low birthweight; failure to thrive and grow
• neurological problems: some infants born with high alcohol levels experience withdrawal after birth
• physical abnormalities: craniofacial malformations, cardiac defects, kidney development issues, undescended testes, skeletal abnormalities in fingers and toes

Question 13

metabolism and excretion of alcohol

Answer 13

95% metabolized by liver

other 5% excreted by lungs and measured with Breathalyzer - BAC can then be calculated

Question 14

what converts alcohol to acetaldehyde?

what converts acetaldehyde into acetic acid and acetone?

Answer 14

alcohol dehydrogenase: converts alcohol to acetaldehyde

aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH): converts acetaldehyde to acetic acid and acetone

Question 15

what population has genes that code for inactive form of ALDH
- drinking alcohol results in build up of toxic acetaldehyde

Answer 15

10% asian population

Question 16

cytochrome p450

Answer 16

converts alcohol to acetaldehyde when in higher doses

Question 17

if alcohol consumed with other drugs

Answer 17

they compete for same enzyme (cytochrome p450)
drug molecules can accumulate to dangerous levels

prescription an OTC have warning labels regarding this

Question 18

induction

Answer 18

metabolic tolerance

• regular alcohol consumption increases CYP450 enzymes that metabolize alcohol
• inc rate of alcohol metabolism - reduction in behavioral effects

Question 19

caveat to metabolic tolerance

Answer 19

prolonged heavy use of alcohol causes liver damage that impairs metabolism of alcohol and many other drugs

Question 20

elimination of alcohol

Answer 20

zero order kinetics

0.015% every hour

Question 21

BAC

Answer 21

grams alcohol/ 100mL blood

Question 22

widmarks formula

Answer 22

BAC = (g/body weight x r) x 100
r= 0.55 females
r=0.68 males

Question 23

what does alcohol do to the BBB

Answer 23

disturbs the BBB proteins and lipids

makes it more permeable to other things

Question 24

glutamate and alcohol

Answer 24

• alcohols inhibits NMDA receptors (glutamate antagonist) - depressant
• reduces glutamate release in hippocampus
• produces amnesia for events that take place during intoxication (blacking out)

Question 25

glutamate and alcohol effects on development

Answer 25

reduced NMDA receptors in adulthood

learning and memory impairment in children whose mothers consumd alcohol in pregnancy

Question 26

chronic changes from alcohol

Answer 26

upregulation of NMDA receptors to compensate

Question 27

withdrawal

Answer 27

cannot go cold turkey

glutamate release increases after 10 hours - CNS hyperexcitability and seizures

• excessive Ca influx - cell death from oxidative stress

Question 28

GABA and alcohol

Answer 28

alcohol binds GABA A receptors and opens channels allowing Cl to enter cell and hyperpolarize membrane

reduces likelihood of action potential

Question 29

effects of neurotransmission: GABA

Answer 29

• alcohol potentiates receptor function of GABA
• location of receptors dictates events: reduction in anxiety, inc motor impairment and inc sedation
• cerebral cortex, hippocampus, thalamus - depressant effects on cognition
• Nacc and VTA - inc dopamine associated with reward

Question 30

opioids (endorphins)

Answer 30

contribute to reinforcing effects of alcohol

acute alcohol: inc endogenous endorphin levels

chronic: reduces natural endorphin levels - dysphoria with chronic use and withdrawal

Question 31

dopamine

Answer 31

• alcohol indirectly inc dopamine in Nacc - reinforcement

- withdrawal after chronic use reduces firing rate of mesolimbic neurons and dec DA release in NAcc