How does Alcohol Affect the Brain

I once had the unusual opportunity, though unhappy, to observe the same phenomenon in a man's brain structure, which, in paroxysm alcoholic excitement, cut off his own head under the steering of a railroad car, and whose brain instantly evolved from the skull by accident . The brain itself, in all, is in front of me in three minutes after death. It exhales the most obvious smell of spirit, and the membrane and minute structure are extreme vascular. It looked as if recently injected with vermilion. Cerebrum white matter, studded with red dots, is almost indistinguishable, when it is sliced, by natural white; and the maternal membrane, or internal vascular membrane that covers the brain, resembles the fine tissue of red blood coagulation, so that the tension of the fine vessels becomes enlarged.

How does Alcohol Affect the Brain

I must add that this condition extends through the brain which is larger and smaller, cerebrum and cerebellum, but not so marked in the medulla or the initial part of the spinal cord.

Spinal cord and nerves.

Alcohol action continues beyond the first stage, the function of the spinal cord is affected. Through this part of the nervous system we are accustomed, in health, to automatic actions of a mechanical type, which run systematically even when we think or talk about other subjects. Thus a skilled worker will continue his mechanical work perfectly, while his mind is fixed on several other subjects; and thus we all carry out various actions in an automated manner, without calling on the help of a higher center, unless something more than usual happens to demand their services, upon which we think before we do. Under alcohol, when the spinal centers become affected, these pure automatic actions stop running correctly. That the hand can reach any object, or the foot is planted properly, a higher intellectual center must be called to make the process safe. There is soon after this becomes the strength of coordination of coordination of muscle movements that are lacking. Nerve control in certain muscles is lost, and nerve stimuli are more or less loose. The muscles of the lower lip in human subjects usually fail first, then the muscles of the lower limbs, and it is worth commenting that the extensor muscles give way earlier than flexors. The muscles themselves, at this time, also fail in power; they respond weaker than natural to nerve stimuli; they too, came under the influence of depression from a crippling agent, their structure was temporarily disrupted, and their contractile strength diminished.

Modification of the function of this animal under alcohol, marks the second level of action. In young subjects, there is now, usually, vomiting with fainting, followed by gradual relief from the toxic burden.

Effects on the center of the brain.

The alcoholic soul continues, the center of the brain or brain becomes affected; they diminish in power, and the influence of will and judgment is lost. Because these centers are unbalanced and thrown into chaos, the rational part of human nature gives way to emotional, passional or organic parts. The reason is now not obligatory, or fooling the task, and all animal instincts and sentiments are just lying empty. The coward looks more timid, the boast is more arrogant, ruthless more merciless, which is not more false, worldly more degraded. 'In vino veritas' states, even, indeed, physiological accuracy, the actual condition. The reason, emotions, instincts, are all in a carnival state, and in a chaotic weakness.

Finally, the action of alcohol still extends, the superior brain center is controlled; the senses are damned, voluntary muscle bribes are perfected, sensitivity is lost, and the body lies just a block of wood, dies by everyone except for a quarter, wherein his life hangs. The heart still remains true to its task, and in the meantime only life feeds the breathing power. So circulation and respiration, in other inert masses, make the mass remain in the naked area of ??life until the poison begins to pass and the nerve centers will rise again. Very happy for the drunk person, as a rule, the brain fails so long before the heart that he does not have the strength or feeling to continue the process of destruction until the act of death from its circulation. That's why he lives to die another day.

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