National
Substance Abuse index
›› The Effects Of Alcohol
Alcohol affects the nerve cells within the brain. Alcohol interferes with communication between nerve cells and all other cells by suppressing excitatory nerve pathways and stimulating inhibitory nerve pathways.
Alcohol may enhance the effects of the neurotransmitter GABA, an inhibitory neurotransmitter. Enhancing an inhibitor would have the effect of making things sluggish, resulting in the behavior you see in a drunk person. Glutamine is an excitatory neurotransmitter weakened by alcohol. By making this excitatory neurotransmitter less effective, you also get sluggishness. Alcohol does this by interacting with the receptors on the receiving cells in these pathways.
The body responds to alcohol in discernable stages corresponding to increases in BAC:
| BAC (%) | Stage | Clinical Symptoms |
| 0.01 - 0.05 | Subclinical | Behavior almost normal by routine observation |
| 0.03 - 0.12 | Euphoria |
Increased self-confidence; reduced inhibitions Increased sociability, talkativeness, slight euphoria Decreased attention, judgment and control Onset of sensory-motor impairment Reduced efficiency in finer performance tasks |
| 0.09 - 0.25 | Excitement | Impaired perception, memory and comprehension Emotional instability; lack of critical judgment Decreased sensory response; increased reaction time Reduced focus and peripheral vision Impaired sensory-motor coordination and balance Drowsiness |
| 0.18 - 0.30 | Confusion |
Emotional highs and lows Confusion, disorientation, and dizziness Distorted vision Reduced sensitivity to pain Reduced muscle control; difficulty walking and balancing; slurred speech Listlessness, sluggishness |
| 0.25 - 0.40 | Stupor | Decreased responsiveness to stimuli Lack of motor function; low energy Inability to stand or walk; poor muscle coordination Loss of bladder and bowel control; vomiting Partial unconsciousness; apathy |
| 0.35 - 0.50 | Coma | Total unconsciousness Diminished autonomic responses Body temperature dangerously low Incontinence Sluggish circulation and respiration Potential death |
| 0.45 + | Death | Respiratory arrest and death |
