Psych Chapter 11: Alcohol

one serving of alcohol

0.6 oz of pure ethanol

Alcohol by Volume (ABV)

Percentage of ethanol content

Proof

two times the ABV

Blood Alcohol Content (BAC)

amount of alcohol present in the bloodstream

Alcohol metabolism rate

0.25-0.3 oz per hour (nothing will increase this rate)

Beer ABV and serving size

5% ABV, 12 oz

Wine ABV and serving size

12% ABV, 5oz

Distilled Spirits ABV and serving size

40% ABV, 1.5 oz : 50% ABV, 1oz

What BAC triggers vomiting

0.12 BAC

What BAC inhibits vomiting

0.2 BAC

Behavioral effects of alcohol

sexual behavior, blackouts, violence

alcohol and sexual behavior

Enhances interest but impairs physiological ability, risky sexual behavior

Alcohol and violence rates

1/2 homicides, 1/3 sexual assaults, 2/3 DV/IPV, 1/3 suicides

novel consumption

butt chugging, tampons, eyeballing, snorting, IV (all problematic because you don't know how much alcohol you are consuming or how quickly)

18th Amendment

1920 prohibition

21st Amendment

1933 stopped prohibition

Alcohol impact on brain

neurodegeneration of neocortex, cortical thinning, white matter damage

Alcohol impact on cells

cell damage, fat and water soluble, can enter any cells

Alcohol impact on neurotransmitters

disrupts neural communication, causes poison induced disruption of neural function

Alcohol impact on memory

prevents encoding in hippocampus

Alcohol impact on stress

raises baseline cortisol levels and when not drinking increases anxiety and less stress resilience

Alcohol impact gut microbiome

kills both good and bad bacteria

Alcohol impact on sleep

disrupts REM and deep sleep

Alcohol impact on mood

false increase, but real decrease

Alcohol impact on hormones

disrupts hormones

Alcohol and poor decisions

increases GABA and decreases glutamate, reducing frontal lobe control and raises inhibition and lowers self monitoring, causing expression of behaviors normally suppressed

low/moderate intake

average of 7-14 drinks a week