BIOL 3303 1st EditionLecture 17Outline of Last LectureI. MarijuanaII. Alcohol as a Social BeverageOutline of Current Lecture III. Alcohol as a Social Beveragea. Measuring Alcohol In the Bloodb. Acute Physiological Effectsc. Acute Behavioral EffectsIV. Chronic Alcohol and Alcoholisma. Alcoholism: Stereotypes, Definitions, and Criteriab. Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Dependence: The Health Professional’s Perspectivec. Chronic Alcohol Abused. TreatmentsCurrent LectureFrom our previous lecture, we briefly described what alcohol was, in this first half of the lecture we will discuss the effects of alcohol. Alcohol is a peripheral vasodilator, creating a feeling of warmth and redness, but overall, the body is losing heat. Hormonal effects on kidney function can produce initial dehydration followed by swollen limbs. Alcohol can disturb normal patterns of sleep, as well as produce serious complications when combined with other drugs or medications. Hangovers, usually commencing about four to twelve hours after heavy consumption of alcohol, produce headache, nausea, fatigue, and thirst. While some types of alcohol consumption have a greater association with hangover symptoms, the mechanisms behind the effect remain unclear.As a CNS depressant drug, alcohol has major adverse effects on the behavior of the drinker. These effects include slurred speech, uncoordinated movement, drowsiness, and sensorimotor difficulties. One serious behavior is an alcohol blackout, during which the drinker is unable to remember events occurring during the period of intoxication, even though he or she was conscious at the time. Driving skills are significantly impaired under alcohol intoxication. Increased risk of a vehicular fatality begins with BAC levels as low as 0.2 percent. Therefore, it is quite possible for accidents to occur when the driver is substantially below the minimal BAC levels for driving while under the influence (DWUI). The United States presently has one of the most lenient standards for driving while intoxicated among nations of the world.One major thing to keep in mind that you are legally able to drive with zero percent of alcohol inthe system, this should be the standard when driving. Another thought is that tolerance does not affect alcohol level concentration. Undoubtedly, alcohol consumption increases the probability of aggressiveness and violent behavior. The disinhibition theory and the cognitive-expectation theory are two viewpoints that have been advanced to explain this linkage. The effect of alcohol on sexual desire and sexual performance is complex. The nature of this relationship is partly explained by the pharmacological (physiological) effects of alcohol on the body and partly explained by the expectation of individuals regarding what alcohol should do for them. The research in this area is conducted using a balanced placebo design. Long-term excessive consumption of alcohol increases the risk of heart disease, elevated blood pressure, and stroke, while light to moderate consumption appears to be protective with regard to cardiovascular problems. The public image of an alcoholic is often quite different from the reality. The criteria for alcoholism include four life problems: problems associated with a preoccupation with drinking, emotional problems, vocational, social, and family problems, and problems associated with physical health. A sign of alcoholism can be symptomatic drinking (alcohol consumption aimed at reducing stress and anxiety) as well as a loss of control over drinking itself. Psychological depression can be an emotional effect of alcoholism as well. Numerous clinical studies support the idea of increased domestic instability in the lives of alcoholics, but the true extent of these problems is difficult to assess. Chronic alcohol consumption results in shrinkage of brain tissue, particularly in the cerebral cortex, cerebellum, and regions concerned with memory and cognition. Major life problems are often not recognized by alcoholics because of the processes of denial on the part of the alcoholic and enabling on the part of the alcoholic’s family and friends. From the perspective of the mental health professional, alcohol abuse involves the continued use of alcohol despite the drinker’s knowledge of having a persistent physical problem or some social or occupational difficulty. Alcohol dependence involves a greater variety of significant physical, psychological, social, and behavioral problems, including the possibility of alcohol tolerance and withdrawal. As with other CNS depressants, alcohol consumption over a period of time will result in a tolerance effect. The tolerance effect results from changes in metabolic processes and neuronal responses. Abrupt withdrawal from alcohol can result in a range of serious physical symptoms. The most common form, called the alcohol withdrawal syndrome, includes the experience of insomnia, tremors, anxiety, nausea, vomiting, and in some cases seizures. A less common form, called deliriumtremens (DTs), includes extreme disorientation, profuse sweating, fever, and frightening visual hallucinations. Chronic alcohol abuse produces three increasingly dangerous, forms of liver disease: fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis, and alcoholic cirrhosis. Abstinence can produce a reversal of fatty liver, as well as alcoholic hepatitis (though in the latter case, some residual scarring may remain). However, alcoholic cirrhosis is not reversible by abstinence. Liver transplantation surgery is the only option for complete recovery. Alcoholism-related cardiovascular problems include inflammation and enlargement of the heart, irregular heart contractions, fatty accumulations in the heart and arteries, high blood pressure, and stroke. Chronic alcohol abuse increases the risk of several types of cancer, including cancer of the liver, esophagus, pharynx, and larynx. Some of the physiological effects of chronic alcohol are long-lasting deficits associated with problem-solving, memory, and related cognitive skills are referred to as alcoholic dementia.A more severe form of cognitive impairment is the two-part disease referred to as Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. The first stage is called Wernicke’s encephalopathy, arising from a deficiency in thiamine. The second stage is called Korsakoff’s psychosis. A common feature of Korsakoff’s psychosis is the creation of false memories (confabulation). Pregnant women who engage in alcohol abuse