Psychopharmacology Quiz 9 (Ethyl Alcohol)

Which of the following people would have the highest blood alcohol level after consuming two glasses of wine?

100 lb. female

As with many drugs of abuse, the positively reinforcing effects of ethanol are thought to be ultimately the result of the activation of the following neurotransmitter:

Dopamine

Although alcohol damages the liver, it does not appear to damage the brain.

False

One of the mechanisms of ethanol action is activation of the NMDA subtype of the glutamate receptor.

False

Prolonged heavy drinking increases sexual functioning, desire, and the intensity of orgasm

False

The alcoholic content of most U.S. wines is generally lower than European wines, therefore drinking wine made in the United States can reduce your risk of over intoxication.

False

The amount of pure alcohol (ethanol) consumed per capita is higher in the United States than in European countries, where the drinking age is 18 or younger.

False

True or false? Behavioral tolerance is due to changes in the manner in which alcohol affects the body.

False

True or false? Generally, the more food in the stomach the greater the absorption rate of alcohol.

False

True or false? The BAC directly measures the concentration of alcohol in the brain.

False

Which of the following statements is true about cirrhosis?

It is caused by the toxic effects of alcohol, free radicals, and acetaldehyde.

Acamprosate has actions similar to ethanol at both the GABA and NMDA receptors.

True

Alcohol abuse is one of the most common causes of adult-onset seizures.

True

At least part of ethanol's actions appear to be a result of alterations in serotonergic activity.

True

Blackouts are caused by an alcohol-induced electrochemical disruption of the brain.

True

Moderate doses of ethanol reduce the risk of ischemic stroke.

True

True or false? The effects of a low dose of alcohol are more likely to be influenced by the environment than the effects of high doses.

True

True or false? Using other types of drugs with alcohol is called polydrug use.

True

When other depressants are used, the danger of overdose is greatly increased because metabolism of alcohol takes precedence over metabolism of other substances.

True

The first step in the metabolism of ethanol is conversion to:

acetaldehyde by alcohol dehydrogenase.

Fetal alcohol syndrome is characterized by all of the following except __________.

excessive weight gain

True or false? The liver metabolizes alcohol at a rate proportional to the amount ingested.

False

The effects of alcohol depend on the amount (dose) ingested over a given period of time (duration).

True

The second-generation antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (Prozac, for example) are useful in treating low-risk alcoholics.

True

True or false? Alcohol is a chemical structure that has a hydroxyl group attached to a carbon atom.

True

True or false? Alcohol is a psychoactive substance because it depresses brain activity.

True

True or false? Although an alcoholic may metabolize alcohol more rapidly than a nonalcoholic, the alcohol toxicity level of alcohol stays the same.

True

True or false? Effects of alcohol frequently result in multiple illnesses and accidents, violence, and crime.

True

True or false? Every part of the brain and nervous system is affected and can be damaged by alcohol.

True

True or false? Ninety proof whiskey has a 45% alcohol content.

True

The drug of choice for the treatment of alcohol withdrawal is:

benzodiazepines.

Tolerance to alcohol includes:

enzyme-induction (metabolic) and tissue/functional tolerance.

Ethanol is soluble in fat, but not in water.

False

The first step in the metabolism of ethanol is its conversion to:

acetaldehyde.

The delirium tremens (DTs) consist of the following symptoms:

hallucinations. psychomotor agitation. disorientation. Answer: All of the answers are correct.

In alcohol withdrawal, the mood stabilizing drug Lamictal is efficacious in:

improving mood. decreasing alcohol craving. protecting the brain. Answer: All of the answers are correct.

Cirrhosis of the liver __________.

is irreversible

Drinking experience, not heredity, affects a person's ability to tolerate a given amount of alcohol.

False

One of the mechanisms of ethanol action is activation of the GABA receptor.

True

Although useful in treating anxiety, the benzodiazepines (lorazepam, for example) are of little use in treating alcohol withdrawal.

False

Chronic ethanol ingestion decreases levels of the cannabinoid-receptor agonist anandamide.

False

Differences between levels of the liver enzyme responsible for metabolism of ethanol account in part for differences in blood ethanol levels between men and women, after controlling for weight.

False

True or false? The symptoms of a hangover are usually most severe an hour after drinking, and diminish as the alcohol leaves the body.

False

Women have a higher percentage of body water than do men of comparable size, so there is more water to dilute the alcohol they drink.

False

The ability of ethanol to nonselectively disturb synaptic activation of various neurotransmitters indicates that ethanol produces at least some of its effects by destabilizing cell membranes.

True

Which of the following is the correctly ordered progression for levels of alcohol use?

abstention, experimentation, social/recreational, habituation, abuse, addiction

The sedation and muscle relaxation produced by alcohol are thought to be the result of:

activation of the GABA receptor.

The first step in the metabolism of ethanol occurs through action of the enzyme:

alcohol dehydrogenase.

All of the following are believed to be mechanisms of action of moderate doses of ethanol, EXCEPT:

alterations of ACh receptor activity.

Ethanol is readily soluble in:

both fat and water.

Korsakoff's syndrome involves damage to the:

brain.

When a person who has been drinking can only partially recall the events that occurred after they began drinking, this is known as a

brownout

Alcohol withdrawal symptoms can include all except __________.

constipation

Disulfiram (Antabuse) is useful in treating alcoholics because it inhibits the:

conversion of acetaldehyde to acetic acid.

High-dose alcohol affects the central nervous system by ______ its function. At higher blood alcohol levels, this leads to ______ heart rate and breathing.

decreasing | decreased

The effects of alcohol ______ negative emotions such as loneliness, depression, and anger.

deepen

After correcting for differences in body weight, men and women drinking the same amount of ethanol have:

different blood ethanol levels, with women having higher levels than men.

Easy access to alcohol, a permissive societal view of drinking, unsafe living conditions, poor nutrition, and limited access to healthcare and drug recovery programs are examples of what factors associated with increased alcohol use?

environmental

The national minimum legal drinking age in the United States is 21. Since 1993 the rate of underage binge drinking in the United States has

increased 50%

Women have far _______ gastric metabolism than men owing to ________ levels of alcohol dehydrogenase.

less; lower

The most common cause of death in alcoholics is:

liver damage.

The most serious physiological long-term consequence of excessive alcohol consumption is:

liver damage.

The vast majority (approximately 85 percent) of the metabolism of ethanol occurs in the:

liver.

Alcohol in moderate doses ______ the risk of ischemic stroke by _______ platelet aggregation.

reduces; decreasing

Alcohol in low doses _______ the risk of coronary artery disease by _______ high-density lipoproteins in blood.

reduces; increasing

The most common cause of death by alcohol overdose is:

respiratory arrest.

Fetal alcohol syndrome is characterized by:

retarded growth rate. central nervous system dysfunction. facial abnormalities. Answer: All of the answers are correct