酒精과 神經傳達物質-文獻 考察

Alcohol and Neurotransmitters

Alcohol is capable of producing m any biochem ical changes in central nervous system . T heses changes are composed of direct prim ary effect and second ary hom eostatic response. In th is regard, acute and chronic adm inistration seem s to be a biological continuum . 1. T h e prim ary effect of acute alcohol adm inistration is initiated w ith nonspecific biophysical mechanism ra th e r th an biom em brane, and produces generalized depression of neuronal function. 2. Chronic alcohol adm inistration produces to lerance and physical dependence due to physical adaptation to th e changes of m em brane flu id ity caused by alteration of lipid com position in biological m em brane. Upon with drawal, central nervous system depression is replaced b y compensatory neuronal hyperexcitability. 3. Since 1970, investigators have been try ing to understand the role of alcohol on neurotransm itters. A lthough controversial, it seems that catecholam inergic and gam m a-am inobutyric acidergic system s are significantly involved. But, the relation with other neurotransm itters such as serotonin, acetylcholine, and peptides which have been attracting much in terest since 1980, is not clarified.