Alcohol Intoxication Affects The Brain

Alcohol intoxication affects the brain, causing slurred speech, clumsiness, and delayed reflexes. Long-term effects of alcohol include changes in the metabolism of the liver and brain and alcoholism. Alcohol stimulates insulin production, speeding up glucose metabolism and can result in low blood sugar, leading to a final possibility of death. Alcohol, when consumed by those with a low tolerance can quickly lead to unconsciousness. Severe alcohol poisoning can also be fatal.

Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant. Alcohol can appear to be a stimulant because it initially depresses the part of the brain that controls inhibitions. Alcohol also limits the production of vasopressin from the hypothalamus and the secretion of this hormone

Humans need to adapt skills that will allow them to live independently and sustain themselves. This stage is filled with social interactions with peers, exploration of new situations, and an increased willingness to take risks. This period often leads to the initiation of alcohol and other drug use. There are many ways in which drugs and alcohol can alter or damage the development of the adolescent brain. Firstly, these substances often target and change function of neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are the chemical messengers that permit nerves to communicate at their junctions. Interference with neurotransmitters can directly damage any of the developing neural connections. Secondly, use of these substances alters awareness and may obstruct a human’s developing perceptual skills. Finally, the habits and choices associated with the use of drugs and alcohol slowly become embedded in the brain. Repeated action becomes habit and the habits developed in childhood and adolescence can stay with a person throughout his or her lifetime often leading to drug addiction and

Drug and alcohol abuse causes longer lasting effects on the teen brain than the adult brain. One reason is that a teenager's brain has more receptors. When drugs enter the body, they bind to receptors producing the various effects. For example, when a teen smokes marijuana, the brain holds onto the cannabis for an extended period of time in comparison with the adult brain. Cognitive function is impaired for a longer period of time in the form of memory, concentration, and learning ability. Addiction is believed to be a disease influenced by behaviors that are learned. During the young adult years the brain is growing and learning how to behave making teens more likely to fall victim to dependency and addiction. In a recent study, adolescent rats worked harder and longer for cocaine than adult rats, showing that teens become addicted more quickly and become more dependent on the substance. Dependency and addiction can cause problems of their own and chronic abuse of some substances can be