How Does Alcohol Affect the Nervous System?

Video Transcript

"Hello! I'm Dr. Bernardo Savariego. I'm a medical doctor specializing in addiction psychiatry in Miami, Florida. Let's talk about how alcohol affect the central nervous system. Now, alcohol is a sedative basically so it symbolize the gamma receptors in the brain. Now, in order to stay alert the brain counteracts by increasing the neuroexcitatory neurotransmitter glutamate. Now, glutamate in large quantities can be very toxic to the brain and can kill the nerve cells and this is what the basis for alcoholic type dementia. Now, alcohol, the gamma inhibition of the brain causes the disinhibition of the individual where they lose their fear of what they're doing so their judgment becomes impaired, they get involved in very dangerous dangerous types behavior. Now, the one of the questions that is always said is well, alcohol puts us this pleasure that has to do with dopamine and dopamine is a factor in addiction but we have come more to realize that when man can't see addiction is the anxiety, the alcohol or drugs becomes a necessity of survival and the person is looking for peace and is trying to avoid anxiety."