EFFECT OF ALCOHOL ON THE NERVOUS SYSTEM – STATE OF DRINKING WITH ALCOHOL
Alcohol has an effect on the nervous system – in general – subsequent inhibition of the activity of the nerve centers. This is in fact a narcotic effect, similar to the action of ether, whose chemical structure is, moreover, similar to that of ethyl alcohol (and that is why a number of authors classify alcohol as a narcotic, and alcoholism to drug addiction).
Central nervous system (hereinafter we use the abbreviation - OUN) man can be schematically divided into three floors, differing in type and scope of functions, interdependent. The lowest floor is the evolutionarily oldest part of the CNS; reflex centers are located here, such as automatic muscle movements, keeping balance, respiration, heart rate etc. This floor consists of the structures of the medulla and partly of the brain stem. The upper level of the CNS - the subcortical structures of the brain - is the seat of instincts - drives (sen, watch, hunger, desire, sex drive etc.), primitive forms of emotionality (a feeling of physical pleasure or pain, rage, fear etc.) and is the center of hormonal regulation of the body. At the same time, this floor slows down, suppresses the activity of the lower floor, and it is itself inhibited by the top floor, composed of the centers of the cerebral cortex, allowing you to perform any activities, complex and their coordination, precise thinking and feeling high, human level. The balance between the processes of excitation and inhibition existing between the various levels of the CNS ensures the harmonious functioning of the body, intentional and correct human behavior and conduct.
Alcohol inhibits the youngest first, the most sensitive centers of the nervous system (top floor) - just these, which ensure close coordination of all functions, enable precise thinking, reasoning, judgment and which constitute the habitat of the so-called. higher feelings, proper only to man. These feelings include such feelings, that are instilled through upbringing, through the influence of social group and culture, moral and ethical feelings, feelings of family bond, group, national and interpersonal, scientific and cultural interests. As the activities of the higher centers are successively inhibited, the lower centers are liberated from their inhibitory influence and control. This manifests itself, for example,. in the apparent stimulation of the body and psyche in the initial periods of intoxication. Instincts and drives come to the fore, and primitive mechanisms of thought and behavior. As your blood alcohol concentration increases, the developmentally older ones are also inhibited successively, lower brain centers, perform less complex functions in the body. So they get disrupted, followed by the abolition of more primal activities, like instincts (np. self-preserving) i popędy, purposeful and voluntary movement, consciousness, and finally, even reflexes. When we watch drunk, in which the state of intoxication increases, we see, like a drunken man, he regresses, as it were, along the path of the development of a human being. Possessed, cultural, a man capable of higher feelings first becomes brutal in his behavior, original, he gets rid of the acquired social refinement and the culture of behavior. He begins to react, like an animal, to instincts, he stops thinking, evaluate and judge yourself and others, loses the ability to perform efficient movements and activities, finally, he collapses and falls asleep, does not respond to stimuli. In this last phase his life is reduced to vegetative functions, vegetable. With very severe poisoning, the centers important for life may be inhibited (such as the respiratory center or the circulatory center) and to death.