How Does Alcohol Make Us Drunk?

Author: Mark Velov Time for reading: ~1 minutes Last Updated: August 08, 2022

In this article, learn more about How Does Alcohol Make Us Drunk?. From the video we can learn how alcohol affects the body..

Regardless of their type, all alcoholic beverages contain the same molecule that affects the brain - ethanol.

Ethanol slows the brain by binding two types of receptors - GABA and NMDA . GABA has the ability to suppress behavior , so when ethanol binds to these receptors, nerve cell communication is slowed down . This calms us down, relaxes us and leads to lighter behavior than usual.

Ethanol also blocks NMDA receptors, which causes fatigue and can interfere with memory . The greater the amount of ethanol, the less we are expected to remember.

At the same time, ethanol leads to the synthesis of the stimulants norepinephrine, adrenaline and cortisol , which lead to a euphoric feeling.

The more alcohol we consume, the faster our heart rate. The airways open and send more oxygen to the brain , as a result of which the senses are strengthened.

The brain also releases the substance that causes pleasant sensations - dopamine . That's why alcohol often makes us make wrong decisions.

Ethanol also prevents the energy needed to reach the brain so that it can work at full speed. This harms the thought processes .

On the other hand, ethanol inhibits other hormones. A typical example is the antidiuretic hormone, which causes a feeling of frequent need to urinate .

Other parts of the brain that are responsible for muscle movement also slow down .

We can learn more about the way alcohol affects the body from the Reactions video…

How Does Alcohol Make Us Drunk?

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