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.
Why is Alzheimer's disease not simply accelerated aging?
Because it has a specific window of onset (70-90years)
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)
What conclusions can we make about genetics and Alzheimer's?
1. genetics plays a significant role in Alzheimer's (genetic markers)
2. there is a stronger genetic link for early-onset Alzheimer's.
3. there is less likely to be a genetic component for late-onset Alzheimer's
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
Describe how acetylcholine agonists work as a treatment option for Alzheimer's disease.
It helps boost acetylcholine. This boosts arousal/alertness and memory processing (two symptoms of Alzheimer's).
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
Explain how plaques are formed and what occurs as a result
Alzheimer's patients produce excess amyloid protein, resulting in clumping outside the cell in synapses. This prevents synaptic transmission and cause these cells to eventually die off.
Explain the metabolic pathway of alcohol
alcohol is broken down into acetaldehyde and triglycerides by the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase. Triglycerides are now small enough to be excreted. 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.
Explain how tangles are formed and what occurs as a result.
Alzheimer's patients produce excess tau protein, resulting in tangles forming causes the microtubules of neurons to break apart. Because of this, they can no longer function and will eventually die off.