FDA Approved Medications for the Treatment of Alcohol Dependence The toxic element in alcohol is ethanol (Nutt, 2006). The five major neurotransmitter systems within the brain that are affected by alcohol are glutamate, gamma-amino-butyric acid (GABA), dopamine, serotonin and the opioid systems (Chastain, 2006; Prince & Turpin, 2008). Intoxication, memory impairment, reinforcement and dependence are some of the effects produced as a result of ethanol modifying neural functions (Chastain, 2006). The pleasurable effects of alcohol are partly due to the increased central inhibition caused by the agonist effect ethanol has on GABA-A as well as the antagonist effect ethanol has on the NMDA glutamate receptors resulting in reduced central excitation (Nutt, 2006; Weaver, Jewell & Tomlinson, 2009). The pleasurable effects may also be linked to interactions between alcohol and endogenous opioids, dopamine, and serotonin (Chastain, 2006; Nutt, 2006). The rewarding effects of alcohol may contribute to alcohol dependence. When alcohol is used frequently over a long period of time the inhibitory processes in the brain are reduced and the excitatory processes are enhanced and when alcohol is not present symptoms of alcohol withdrawal may occur (Barrons & Roberts, 2010; Prince & Turpin, 2008; Weaver et al., 2009). Consuming alcohol may relieve these symptoms which might also contribute to alcohol dependence. In addition, genetic, psychosocial and environmental factors can contribute to whether or not an individual is at a higher risk of developing alcohol dependence (Angelini & Brahmbhatt, 2007). Approximately 20% of hospital admissions are linked to alcohol dependence (Barrons & Roberts, 2010; Muzyk, Leung, Nelson, Embury & Jones, 2013). The m... ... middle of paper ... ...l ingested by those who continue to drink while on medication (Angelini & Brahmbhatt, 2007; Lingford-Hughes et al., 2004). It is suggested that naltrexone may be more useful than acamprosate or disulfiram for those who are still drinking alcohol but have the desire to stop (Lingford-Hughes et al., 2004). Acamprosate can also continue to be used if someone starts drinking again as it has also been shown to reduce the amount of alcohol ingested (Lingford-Hughes et al., 2004). According to Lingford-Hughes et al. (2004), neither naltrexone nor acamprosate have been shown to be more effective than the other in treating alcohol dependence. No consistent evidence exists regarding which types of patients will respond better to acamprosate or naltrexone so both should be considered equally as options for those wishing to abstain from alcohol (Lingford-Hughes et al., 2004).
Over 17 million Americans suffer from an alcohol abuse disorder, most of which is alcoholism. (NIH, 2014) It is reported that over 15% of those 17 million people never seek treatment for their disorder. Those who do find themselves faced with the task of beating their alcohol abuse disorder are faced with many options as far as treatment goes. One of the most medically controversial is Disulfiram (Antabuse). This medication reacts negatively with alcohol and will send the person’s body into a state of turmoil to hopefully combat their severe drinking problem. As every medication does, Antabuse has its few problems here and there, but overall, this treatment seems to be an extremely effective way to rid those of alcohol abuse disorders.
When alcohol is consumed, an enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase metabolizes the alcohol to acetaldehyde at a rate of one standard drink per hour (Schuckit, 2009). After repeat exposures, tolerance may develop as a result of adaptational changes in the cells of the central nervous system (Merck, 1999). The increased tolerance may cause the patient to consume alcohol in greater quantities than before to achieve the same intoxicating effects. Alcoholics suffer dramatic long-term health damage. The most common forms of specific organ damage in alcoholics are cirrhosis, peripheral neuropathy, brain damage, a...
Lily, Henrietta M. and Harmon, Daniel E. Alcohol Abuse and Binge Drinking. New York: the Rosen Publishing Group Inc., 2012. Print.
There are many options for substance addiction treatment and utilizing medication as a means of eliminating substance use is one that has been called a double edge sword. There are two schools of thought with medically assisted treatment. First, let 's define medication assisted treatment (MAT): “it is the use of pharmacological medications, in combination with counseling and behavioral therapies, to provide a “whole patient” approach to the treatment of substance use disorders. Research indicates that a combination of medication and behavioral therapies can successfully treat substance use disorders, and for some people struggling with addiction, MAT can help sustain recovery” (Watkins, 2016). One side of this treatment option is that it provides that extra little nudge to start recovery with less or more withdrawal symptoms. For example, disulfiram is an alcohol aversion agent, that when taken with alcohol the person becomes very ill (Watkins, 2016). There are also other medications that help with reducing symptoms of withdrawal, such as methadone.
Most alcoholics proceed to a stage where their brains or their bodies have been so harmed by alcohol that the effects persist even when they are not drinking. This stage may be reached...
Alcohol is the most commonly used addictive substance in the US. One in every 12 adults suffers from alcohol abuse. Alcohol addiction is very common in modern ...
Research has shown that alcoholism is a choice and not a disease and a choice for an individual to begin consumption. Nation’s leading scientists studying alcohol abuse has determined that a human can travel down a long road before it’s almost impossible for them to refrain from alcohol, therefore meaning a large amount of alcohol would have to be consumed. Studies show that most people never reach the point of being an alcoholic, yet they still have the power to quit drinking. A disease is something that one has to accept, such as Cancer, Sickle Cell Anemia, or Alzheimer. Unlike a disease in most cases that the body cannot control, alcoholism is a mindset. Alcohol does not impair brain functions, but instead produces a complex set of adaptations that tamper down the functions of some brain regions while dialing up functions of others. While the opposing side believes that alcohol can cause brain disease, specifically the prefrontal cortex and dorsal striatum, research has shown that it does not impair brain functions only affecting the brain for a short period, thus allowing time to return them back to a normal state. Researchers led by Andrew Holmes Ph. D. in the Laboratory of Laboratory of Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience at NIAAA, measured changes of the brains of mice after being exposed to alcohol vapors finding permanent changes in the nerve cells that conduct signals as well as changes in the part of the brain’s signaling system that may play a role in sensation, mood, and memory. Although researchers found the previous changes were permanent, exposing mice to alcohol actually improved the ability for them to make decisions and improving their skills on learning tasks.
Genetics predispose an individual to having an increased chance of becoming codependent upon drugs or alcohol. Studies of twins and of families that are prone to addiction suggest that about 50% of the risk for drug addiction is genetically based (EBSCOhost). One well-characterized relationship between genes and alcoholism is the result of variation in the liver enzymes that metabolize alcohol (NIH). The result of the liver breaking down the alcohol faster is a higher tolerance. Individuals with a higher tolerance to alcohol, need to drink more than the average person in order to seek the same biological effect. When heavy drinkers suddenly stop or significantly reduce their alcohol consumption, the neurotransmitters prev...
The National Institution of Health published this article for the purpose of explaining about the human brain and it’s relation to alcohol. According to the article, people with alcoholism have been known to have problems with skills in their prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain that controls decision-making and emotions. These same people show exaggerated neural responses in the dorsal striatum due to alcohol-related cues. This information shows that excessive drinking can affect learning and control of behavior and emotion. This information can be helpful in my paper because it explains that alcohol is a disease that affects the brain and it will help me try to prove my point of view.
Alcoholism is a major problem in today’s society it is considered a disease. The effects of this so called disease are a lot more serious than one might think, and can effect your life in a big way. Many of alcohols consumers drink frequently that they will eventually get used to it, and it becomes an everyday thing. That right there is where the problem starts. Some of the effects I found are economical, physiological, and physical, which are some of the negative effects alcohol, can have on someone’s life.
To understand alcoholism, it must first be understood what this affliction is dependent on. Alcohol is a substance that is made by the fermentation of fruits, grains, or miscellaneous other organic materials. The chemical, alcohol, is a depressant and acts on every cell in the human body. Due to this, the central nervous system, along with the pleasure centers of the brain, are affected resulting in a feeling of euphoria and a sense of well being. After repeated exposure, the brain becomes dependent on this drug to unburden itself whenever it feels the compulsion. Several factors that contribute to alcoholism are the individual’s psychology, genetics, culture, and the individual’s response to physical pain.
Heavy drinking is more damaging to both body and brain than smaller amounts of alcohol consumed more often because extremely high blood alcohol levels are toxic to organs, severely impair sensory and cognitive functions, and encourage habit formation or addiction. A youthful brain has weaker controls that would stop a person from drinking too much. Scientists are finding clues in the brain that may help them identify the most vulnerable young people in hopes of halting problem drinking before it starts. According to psychiatry researcher Reagan R. Wetherill of the University of Pennsylvania, “the aim is to bolster brain development ‘just enough’ so that young people can ‘inhibit their own drinking behaviors before they act’”. In the study, the 21 kids who had begun heavy drinking had, in their...
Neurotransmitters are chemicals that help transmit signals from one nerve in the brain to another (Drinkaware). Drinking decreases our mental sharpness and judgment. According to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, “1,825 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die from alcohol-related unintentional injuries, including motor-vehicle crashes” (NIAAA,). Another problem that affects us mentally is addiction. Alcohol is very addictive and people go through withdrawal. (Brittanica, Mark Keller). Alcohol affects human’s bodies and causes them to die at a young age. Alcohol harms your organs such as the heart, liver, pancreas, and the brain. (NIAAA). Also, there is an increase of developing cancer around the mouth, esophagus, throat, liver, and breast (NIAA). Consuming alcohol came lead to people taking actions they might not have taken when sober. Regular drinking lowers the levels of serotonin in your brain. This leads to depression and
..., cancer, liver and pancreas disease etc. There are many factors why do people drink, such as: make friends, forget problems, to feel happy, to relax, to feel less anxious, to feel confident and the genes, in my opinion play the key role in this problem. Some people don’t realize that this is a big deal, the big problem until it’s late. Once someone tried alcohol and become dependent it is hard to realize that person needs help to stop it. Also drinking alcohol is closely linked with use of other drugs, legal and illegal. Smoking, drinking and drug taking often co-exist. I chose this article to review because I think it has good examples to show people what causes alcohol dependence and what conditions one can get if drinking alcohol often. People need to remember that we live ones and it is important to keep ourselves healthy and none of bad habits worth our life.
The cause of alcoholism is a combination of biological, psychological, and cultural factors that may contribute to the development of...