After finishing this chapter, students should be able to understand:
Alcohol is made by yeasts in a process called fermentation. Distillation is used to increase the alcohol content of a beverage.
Beer has the lowest alcohol content of the traditional beverages and is consumed in much greater volumes than wine or liquor. Beer consumption has not changed greatly in the past decade.
Wine consumption increased until the mid-1980s and has declined somewhat since then.
Consumption of distilled spirits, especially of the stronger-tasting whiskeys, has declined considerably over the past fifteen years.
Alcohol is metabolized by the liver at a constant rate, which is not much influenced by body size.
The exact mechanism by which alcohol affects the nervous system is still not known but might involve the neurotransmitter GABA.
By the use of simple calculations and Table 11.3, it is possible to estimate a person's blood alcohol concentration if you know how many drinks he or she consumed over what period of time.
Alcohol appears to enhance interest in sex but to impair physiological arousal in both sexes.
The alcohol withdrawal syndrome is referred to as delirium tremens.
Chronic heavy drinking can lead to neurological damage, as well as damage to the heart and liver. However, light drinking has been associated with a decrease in heart attacks.
Recognition of fetal alcohol syndrome and fetal alcohol effect since 1973 has led to educational and other programs aimed at preventing this important cause of mental retardation.
