The effect of acute alcohol administration on the brain
Acute alcohol administration has a number of effects on the receptors in the brain. Alcohol enhances the action of 5-HT and acetylcholine at 5-HT3 and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, increasing excitatory neurotransmission at these receptors. Acute alcohol exposure can also inhibit the action of NMDA and kainite at glutamate receptors, inhibit voltage-sensitive Ca2+ channels and enhance the action of GABA at inhibitory GABA A receptors. Acute alcohol administration would decrease the output of a theoretical neurone expressing all of these receptors. However, due to the excitatory effect of alcohol on certain receptors, acute alcohol administration can lead to feelings of euphoria and the ‘high’ often associated with alcohol consumption.
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References
Trends Pharmacol Sci 1992;13:206–211.