Question

Describe the relationship between blood alcohol concentration and its pharmacological effects on behavior and cognitive functioning?

Answer 1

alcohol in blood has been found to have a deleterious effect on specific areas of cognitive processing. the effect of alcohol is measured in terms of the amount which is concentrated in the blood stream. Typically, blood alcohol concentration inhibits the activity of the Central Nervous System by stimulating the production of the neurotransmitter GABA in the neurons particularly in the prefrontal and the frontal cortices which is associated with higher order mental functions pertaining to problem solving, learning, memory, inhibiting socially inappropriate behaviours as well as personality traits such as introversion and extroversion. Thus alcohol concentration in the blood leads to adverse effects on various aspects of cognitive functioning including memory, learning of new information, ability to demonstrate sustained attention. Besides a gradual breakdown of cognitive functions such as problem solving, decision making, and memory, excess of blood alcohol concentration also diminishes one’s moral guard towards social inhibitions and it instead suppresses the mental inhibition against inappropriate behaviours. Under the effect of high alcohol dosage, people thus become more susceptible to breaking the norms, showing aggressive behaviour upon slightest insinuation as they gradually lose the capacity for rational thinking and decision-making.