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3 Apr 2021, 08:58 Publicly Viewable

1) What are the possible mechanisms involved in the occurrence of tolerance to chronic alcohol intake?

GABA effects are potentiated as the ethanol binds to the sedative site on the GABA_A receptor which can induce a feeling of sedation which can be mistaken for a ‘subjective high’
Inhibition of glutamate on the NMDA receptors – glutamate is an excitatory neurotransmitter. Due to the inhibition of the excitatory neurotransmitter, less action potentials will be fired thus leading to a relaxing effect, which can lead to a loss of inhibitions

2) What are the toxic effects of chronic alcohol consumption on the liver and hepatic metabolism?

Progressive decrease in liver functioning, thus leading to hepatitis of symptoms of cirrhosis
Decrease in gluconeogenesis due to hypoglycaemia, fat accumulation and nutrient deficiencies
Oedema in a cirrhotic liver

3) What is Wernicke-Korsakoff-syndrome and how is it treated?

Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is a brain disorder due to the lack of vitamin B₁
Lack of vitamin B₁ stems from chronic alcohol use – it is needed for the synthesis of coenzyme thiamine phosphate
A patient must be treated with thiamine

4) Fully explain the foetal alcohol syndrome.

When a pregnant woman abuses alcohol during her pregnancy, this will lead to the baby having cognitive and behavioural deficits due to the damaged developing neurons
Alcohol can cross the placental barrier and since the foetus has little to no ALDH activity, alcohol cannot be eliminated so the foetus must rely on only the mother’s and placental enzymes for alcohol elimination

5) How do the pharmacokinetic interactions of acute alcohol consumption differ from that of chronic alcohol consumption?

6) Name 4 drug interactions with alcohol where the pharmacological effects of the other drugs are potentiated by alcohol.