Behavioral and Physiological Effects of Alcohol on Man

Abstract

In 160 healthy subjects, 542 experiments were conducted to assess some behavioral and physiological effects of alcohol ingestion. Both subjective mood tests and objective performance tests were given and the results correlated with blood alcohol levels. Also analyzed were changes after interaction with CNS-active drugs, "hangover," adaptation, and tolerance.-TV NUMBER of studies in our laboratory have been devoted to the investigation of metabolism and action of alcohol in man under various conditions, ranging from studies on the influence of dose and type of beverage to the action of compounds affecting metabolism, CNS functions, or both, in moderate consumers as well as in heavy drinkers and alcoholic subjects.The main interest has been focused on possible effects of alcohol on the central nervous system in relation to changes in alcohol metabolism and blood levels.This aim has necessitated the design of experiments allowing the following of time-course of possible effects and their relation to blood alcohol and other parameters and the use and development of sensitive methods capable of measuring significant departures from alreadylow blood alcohol levels; and allowing the recording, evaluation, and storage of information in a form to make possible

Ocular Hemodynamic Effects of Acute Ethanol Ingestion

“…These findings suggest that al though ethanol acutely vasodilates skin and certain visceral tissues [21,22], in the orbital circulation its immediate influence does not include vasorelaxation. Several studies show that ethanol in acute administration increases cerebral blood flow [5,6]; it remains uncer tain whether this is largely or entirely the result of increased skin blood flow (facial vasodilation is of course a classic sign of alco hol ingestion [23]) and not, in fact, a rise in the perfusion of neural tissue itself [5,6]. Of course, our results apply only to the acute con dition; chronic ethanol use or abuse may lead to down-regulation of receptors for the bio chemical mediators of vasodilation and thence to vasospasm and cerebral hypoperfu sion [7].…”

Effects of xylene and alcohol on vestibular and visual functions in man.

“…The intensity of PAN, as well as postural equilibrium, correlates with the BAC (10,13). Subjective symptoms of alcoholic inebriation, such as dizziness and nausea, are also closely related to the intensity of PAN (3).…”

Haematological Effects of Chronic Ethanol Administration and Folic Acid Deficiency in Mice

“…One explanation for this obvious discrepancy must be sought in the great difference in the rate of alcohol breakdown between dog and mouse. Dogs eliminate alcohol at a rate of about 120 mg/kg/h whereas mice metabolize 600-800 mg/kg/h [18; G oldberg et al, in preparation]; in man, this figure was found to be 80-110 mg/kg/h [19,20]. Conse quently, the dose (2-4 g/kg/day) given by Beard and Knott [13] to their dogs, corresponding to 80-160 mg/kg/h, must have resulted in a considerable alcoholaemia (250-500 mg/100 ml).…”