On a cellular level, what are the effects of alcohol on the brain?You can go ahead and elaborate on the processes that take place. I'm currently enrolled in a university-level Biology class, and I know enough about cellular function to understand an in-depth explanation.
Answer by rabbifernando
Alcohol affects neurons in many ways. It binds to GABA-A receptors causing the integral chloride (Cl-) channels to stay open longer. This results in greater influx of Cl- ions and net decrease in resting potential. Under these conditions the neuron will need greater spatial and temporal summation of post-synaptic current in order to generate an action potential. GABA receptors are ubiquitous, so alcohol will result in depression of activity in brain areas associated with memory, motor ability, judgment (prefrontal cortex/anterior cingulate), etc. Alcohol also binds directly to M1 muscarinic receptors in the medial septal area and nucleus basalis of Meynert, inhibiting post-synaptic second-messenger cascade (IP3) and reducing neuronal activity in these brain areas involved in memory and cognition. These neurons are particularly susceptible to alcohol-induced neurotoxicity. Alcohol also inhibits NMDA receptors, which are highly expressed in the hippocampus and are important for memory. Other effects of alcohol on neurons include increased ventral tegmental dopaminergic function (VTA), presumably associated with the reinforcing properties of alcohol, and changes in membrane fluidity (direct or protein-mediated) resulting from disorganization of lipids by altering their polar properties. The lipid bilayer and lipid rafts are important for protein transport and cell signaling.
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