38 Alcohol
ease; this finding does not mean that alcohol causes the affliction, but it does
indicate the need for further research. Alcohol does not make peaceful indi-
viduals rageful, but it can lower inhibitions while leaving a person able to act
out urges. Thus violent and criminal acts are commonly associated with al-
cohol intoxication. Impairment of mental and physical activity can occur dur-
ing acute intoxication, making operation of dangerous machinery (such as
automobiles) hazardous. During intoxication sensory perceptions are blunted,
reducing awareness of tastes, smells, sounds, and pain.
Lesser known problems are associated with alcohol. Male users experience
a decline intestosteronelevels, and females may experience menstrual diffi-
culties. The nerve inflammation disease beriberi has been linked with alco-
holism, and research has raised the possibility that alcoholism can worsen
Alzheimer’s disease. Some studies report that drinkers have a slightly higher
chance of developing cataracts, but a very large study involving 77,466 women
found little, if any, relationship between the substance and cataracts. Experi-
ments show that a drink of alcohol encourages more cigarette consumption
and that persons who use both alcohol andnicotinetend to drink more when
cigarettes are unavailable. Although alcohol can make a person feel hotter,
that effect is superficial; the substance actually lowers body temperature, mak-
ing alcohol counterproductive if a chilled person is trying to warm up; the
substance should not be given to persons injured by exposure to cold tem-
peratures. Alcoholics commonly have memory trouble, and small studies find
that heavy-drinking nonalcoholics have impaired thinking skills even while
sober.
Abuse factors.In addition to being a potent intoxicant, alcohol is one of the
most addictive substances. Tolerance (“holding your liquor”) and dependence
may occur. Withdrawal can be dangerous, with death occurring (typically
from difficulties leading to convulsions) despite intense medical supervision.
The withdrawal syndrome is called delirium tremens. Its symptoms are sim-
ilar to those of barbiturate withdrawal: weariness, nervousness, perspiration,
tremors, vomiting, cramps, high blood pressure, accelerated heartbeat, con-
vulsions, and hallucinations. Symptoms may be worse in elderly persons.
Women tend to be more affected by alcohol than men are because, among
other reasons, the drug has more bioavailability in females (more of a given
dose is used in females, so they need less quantity than men do in order to
reach the same level of effect).
Drug interactions.Alcohol lengthens the duration of effects fromchlordi-
azepoxide,diazepam, andlorazepam.Cocaineworsens liver damage caused
by alcohol. When rats receivingmorphineormethadonedrink alcohol, the
alcohol blood level takes longer to increase but then lasts longer, a result
suggesting that a human opiate user might have to drink more in order to
get an alcohol effect and would then stay intoxicated longer than someone
who does not use opiates. Rat studies indicate that steady opiate consumption
may intensify alcohol dependence. In rats, alcohol, chlordiazepoxide, andpen-
tobarbitalall have cross-tolerance with one another, meaning that one will
substitute for the other to some extent. So many drugs interact dangerously
with alcohol that a person should always check information labels on drug
containers before using the substances simultaneously with alcohol.