Alcohol I
What is BAC?
Blood alcohol concentration. The percentage of alcohol in your blood by volume
Which 5 brain areas are most susceptible to damage from long-term alcohol use?
1. hippocampus
2. cerebellum
3. frontal lobes
4. thalamus
5. hypothalamus
An exocannabinoid is a chemical found within the cannabis plant. An endocannabinoid is a chemical found within the human body (neurotransmitter).
What is a circadian rhtyhm?
An endogenous 24-hour cycle.
Describe the difference between dyssomnias and parasomnias, without mentioning specific types
dyssomnias: sleep disorders that primarily effect the quantity of sleep
parasomnias: sleep disorders that primarily effect the quality of sleep
No, alcohol itself does not make you feel sick. Acetaldehyde (the toxin produced when alcohol is first broken down) makes you feel sick.
Describe the first stage of liver damage
The first stage of liver damage is caused by inflammation within liver cells by excess triglycerides. It won't cause pain, but maybe mild discomfort.
Name the 4 various drug forms of cannabis discussed in class and their percentage of THC.
1. marijuana (10-25%)
2. sinsemilla (20-40%)
3. hashish (20%)
4. hash oil (60-90%)
Describe the brain circuit regulating melatonin.
1. light levels decrease
2. eyes tell SCN light levels are decreasing
3. SCN activates
4. SCN tells pineal gland to make melatonin (around 2 hours before sunset)
5. SCN tells pineal gland to release melatonin into the bloodstream (around 2 hours before expected bedtime)
Explain the difference between nightmares and night terrors
Nightmares are related to dreaming, night terrors are not. With night terrors, you typically wake up in fear. You don't always wake up from nightmares.
Explain what effect higher muscle mass would have on the rate of distribution of alcohol.
Higher muscle mass would decrease rate distribution. The higher the muscle mass, the higher number of blood vessels (fluid compartments), decreasing the rate of distribution.
What causes vitamin B1 deficiency? Why do chronic alcohol consumers develop this? What effects does this have?
Vitamin B1 deficiency is due to poor nutrition. Alcoholics suffer from this because alcohol itself contains calories so they are less likely to eat nutritional food. Vitamin B1 deficiency is essential for glucose utilization. The brain can only use glucose for energy so with this deficiency you will have a decrease in brain cells and be at a higher risk for brain damage
Explain why marijuana users have a reverse tolerance to the drug.
Heavy marijuana users don't need as much to feel their normal high because it is already stored in the body fat (typically for 1-14 days).
What are the 3 main findings from the hamster study on circadian rhythms?
1. With a damaged SCN during normal light conditions, their circadian rhythms were random.
2. The switch in time zone had no effect
3. With a damaged SCN during constant light conditions, their circadian rhythms were completely lost
Explain why weight loss is a possible treatment for sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea can be caused by weight gain, so losing the weight that is causing the blocked airway would help.
What are the chemical properties of alcohol? How do these properties affect absorption?
One way for something to be absorbed is to dissolve into water first (primarily the water in your digestive tract). Since alcohol being highly water soluble, it can dissolve and be absorbed faster.
Another way something can be absorbed is through the fat membranes of the digestive tract and blood vessels. Since alcohol is highly lipid (fat) soluble, it can be absorbed faster.
What is Antabuse? Why is it used to treat alcoholism?
Antabuse is an acetaldehyde dehydrogenase antagonist. It is used as a deterrent as it blocks the breakdown of acetaldehyde which is the toxin that makes you feel sick.
THC is broken down into hydroxy-THC (an active metabolite) by the enzyme P450. Hydroxy-THC is then broken down into carboxy-THC (an inactive metabolite) by the enzyme P450.
Explain in detail why REM is known as paradoxical sleep?
It has high-activity states but also coma-like states.
High-activity: low amplitude and high frequency, inhibited parasympathetic response, activated sympathetic response high overall neural activity, high metabolic rate.
Coma-like activity: deregulated body temperature, atonia, inhibition of reflexes, paralysis
Describe what happens to the concentrations of ghrelin and leptin when someone is sleep deprived. How are these imbalances related to weight gain?
Ghrelin makes you feel hungrier. Ghrelin increases when you are sleep deprived
Leptin controls your appetite suppression. Leptin decreases when you're sleep deprived
This typically causes one to feel hungrier and eat more which could lead to weight gain
Explain the metabolic pathway of alcohol
alcohol is broken down into acetaldehyde and triglycerides by the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase. Acetaldehyde is then broken down into acetate and CO2 by the enzyme acetaldehyde dehydrogenase.
What would a drug that is an alcohol dehydrogenase agonist do?
This drug would enhance the breakdown of alcohol. This would cause you to feel sick faster and not drunk for as long.
It can create physical dependency
It can create psychological dependency
It has withdrawal symptoms
When compared to other drug addictions, it is just as hard to quit
What wave forms are associated with each stage of sleep? What happens to amplitude, frequency, and synchrony through staged 1-4?
stage 1: theta waves
stage 2: theta and delta waves
stage 3: delta and theta waves
stage 4: delta waves
amplitude and synchrony increase. frequency decreases.
What is REM behavior disorder? What population experiences this disorder?
REM behavior disorder is when you have no paralysis during REM sleep. This can cause you to physically act our your dreams. This typically occurs to those 50 years and older.