chapter thirteen

after caffeine, alcohol is the most commonly….

used and abused psychoactive drug in america

what is alcohol

yeast excrement breaks down sugar to make alcohol and co2

what is fermentation

the addition of yeast to sugar

what is the cap of amount of alcohol you can obtain after fermentation

15%

what is the form of alcohol used in beverages

ethyl alcohol

what is distillation

process of heating up fermented substances

what is the boiling point of alcohol

78.5

what is the normal concentration for vodka

80% proof, 40% alcohol

history of the word proof

1700s; put gunpowder on a table and poured alcohol on it, lit it, and it produced a blue flame

which ethnic groups didn’t discover fermentation on their own

native americans and pacific islanders

what keeps the limbic system in check

prefrontal cortex

when did drinking peak

1830

what did the temperance movement do

prevented alcohol consumption

what publication made temperance gain traction

an inquiry into the effects of ardent spirits (benjimen rush)

when was the peak for the temperance movement

january 16, 1920 (the 18th amendment)

what were the results of the 18th amendment

speak-easies, moonshiners, and mafia

when was the 21st amendment passed

january 5th, 1933

what are the statistics for drinkers presently

68 current, 55 regular, 26 binge

what ethnicity are the least binge drinkers

asian american

age facts for drinking

18 - 25 are highest binge drinkers, 25 - 44 are overall drinkers

what are pharmacokinetics

process of how drugs move through your body

absorption of alcohol

dissolves in small intestine and follows water to blood, then blood-brain barrier to brain

what does the blood-brain barrier do

keeps toxins out of brain

the greater the concentration gradient…

the more rapid the movement

what is gastric emptying (process)

path from stomach to small intestine for absorption

relationship between amount of alcohol and distribution

the more water tissue, the more alcohol will move out of blood stream into water (more water means more tolerance)

why do men tolerate alcohol better than women

more lean muscle tissue, are bigger, and more alcohol dehydrogenase in their stomach

what is alcohol dehydrogenase

an enzyme that breaks down alcohol in liver and stomach

how much alcohol can we clear per blood

17 mg per 100 ml of blood every hour

what is vasopressin

an antidiuretic hormone that is suppressed by alcohol

effects of vasopressin

increase in urination and dehydration with alcohol

what happens at the .02 dose response

minimal effect, mild mood elevation

what happens at .05 - .06

disinhibition starts

what happens at .08 - .10

over legal limit; loss of motor coordination

what happens at 0.14 - 0.16

major impairment; slurred speech, blurred vision, loss of judgement

what happens at .20 - .25

staggering and inability to function

what happens at .30

stupor

what did the study with alcohol show (about levels)

blood-alcohol level was higher after six hours but they felt sober

what does alcohol have a high affinity for

reticular formation along brain stem

what’s the deal with the cerebellum

deals with motor activities, when affected people cannot walk

what’s the deal with the limbic system

emotional brain; will cause aggressiveness and promiscuity when affected

alcohol and sleep

will suppress rem sleep

what’s the deal with vasodilation

dilates blood vessels in periphery; you’ll loose heat when effected

relationship between alcohol and glutamate

glutamate is an excitatory and alcohol blocks it so you become sedative

relationship between alcohol and gaba

gaba is an inhibitory and alcohol enhances it

relationship between alcohol and dopamine

alcohol enhances dopamine, a reward transmitter

why do you die from alcohol overdose

your respiratory center is suppressed and medulla (reflexive breathing) is out of commission

clinical application of alcohol

alcohol is a self-prescribed anxiolytic

what are the three hangover theories

congeners in alcohol, excess acetaldehyde, withdrawal symptoms, or dehydrated

the more odorless/colorless an alcohol…

the less congeners (and less hangover)

how is acetaldehyde formed

product of alcohol being metabolized

what else is a side effect of alcohol

the widening of sulci

what are the two stages of withdrawal

early stage (6 - 72 hours after) and late stage (three days in)

qualities of the early stage of withdrawal

tremors, hypertension, nausea, diarrhea, insomnia, and sweating

qualities of the late stage of withdrawal

delirium tremors; profound confusion, agitation, disorientation, hallucinations and seizures

what are the three liver conditions

fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis, and alcoholic cirrhosis

what is fatty liver (what and why)

abnormal fatty deposits in your liver; happens due to spending of resources so it can’t metabolize fat (reversible if stop drinking)

what is alcoholic hepatitis

inflammation of the liver tissue accompanied by jaundice, abdominal pain, and fever; reversible with obstaination of drinking

what is alcoholic cirrhosis

developing scar tissue that impedes blood flow and leads to cell death; irreversible and treated with liver transplant

what is wernicke-korsakoff’s psychosis

severe alcoholism that produces alcoholic dementia (retrograde and anterograde)

what have studies shown is the cause of alcoholic dementia

thymine deficiency that causes damage in mammillary bodies and anterior thalamus

what is fetal-alcohol syndrome

creates birth defects like down and spinal bifida, also facial malformations and cognitive disability

examples of facial malformations from fetal-alcohol syndrome

small eyelid slits, smaller nose, lacks philtrum and narrow forehead

what are indirect hazards of alcohol

aggression and suicidal idealization, sexual promiscuity, and unintentional injuries (leading cause of death for those under 45)

benefits of alcohol (stroke)

low dose of red wine decreases plaque build up and lower cholesterol, decreases chances of ischemic stroke but raises risk of hemorrhagic stroke

what are the three reasons that people drink

the taste, escape from unpleasant situations, learning through observation, or social pressure

what does alcoholic anonymous promote

abstinence; treats alcoholism as a brain disease and not personal choice and emphasizes spirituality and group support

chemical treatment for alcoholics

disulfiram (antabuse); increases toxic enzyme that makes people sick when combined with alcohol

what is the problem with chemical treatement

adherence