Summary: The Effects Of Alcohol On The Brain

The brain, like most body organs, is vulnerable to damage from the consumption of alcohol (Oscar–Berman & Marinkovic, 2004). Alcohol, unlike most other drugs with abuse potential has no identified target receptor in the brain (Stanford, 2009). Alcohol affects numerous neurotransmitter systems through its action on the membranes of neurons (Stanford, 2009). The probability of brain damage and related neurobehavioral deficits from alcohol consumption differs among individuals (Oscar–Berman & Marinkovic, 2004, Stanford 2009). Alcohol impacts several neurotransmitters in the brain disrupting the balance between inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmitters (Stanford, 2009). It is estimated that half of the approximately 20 million alcoholics in the United States have little to no cognitive …show more content…
Neurotransmitters are affected by long-term use of alcohol. When a person who is dependent on alcohol stops drinking, chemical responses create an overexcited nervous system and agitation by changing the level of chemicals that inhibit impulsivity or stress and excitation. High norepinephrine levels, a chemical the brain produces more of when drinking is stopped, may trigger withdrawal symptoms, such as increasing blood pressure and heart rate. This hyperactivity in the brain produces an intense need to calm down and to use more alcohol. Drinking alcohol also stimulates the release of other neurotransmitters (serotonin, dopamine, and opioid peptides) that produce pleasurable feelings such as euphoria, a sensation of being rewarded, and a sense of well-being. Over time, however, heavy alcohol use appears to deplete the stores of dopamine and serotonin. Persistent drinking, therefore, eventually fails to restore mood, but by then the drinker has been conditioned to believe that alcohol will improve spirits (even though it does