Neurological and Psychological Components of Alcohol-Dependent States

The nervous system complications associated with alcoholismAlcoholism have been known for years. However, despite intensive research into alcoholAlcohol-induced lesions of the nervous system, many aspects of these disorders have been insufficiently studied to date. The features of the action of ethanol include the defeat of almost all parts of the nervous system and muscles and a large variety of pathogenetic mechanisms that determine its toxic effect. The purpose of this chapter was to consider the influence of alcoholAlcohol on the nervous system, the contribution of immunological, neurological, and psychological components, and the most common neurological manifestations of alcoholismAlcoholism, such as encephalopathyEncephalopathy, alcoholic cerebellar degeneration, central bridge myelinolysis, dementiaDementia, alcoholic polyneuropathyPolyneuropathy, and alcoholic myopathyMyopathy. AlcoholAlcohol and its toxic metabolites have a negative effect on the central nervous systemCentral nervous system and the whole organism. Many studies have shown the negative impact of alcoholAlcohol on cognitive function. This chapter looks at the range of disorders that can be induced by acute or chronic alcoholAlcohol use and the neurological manifestations of alcoholAlcohol intoxicationIntoxication. The article discusses various options for damage to the nervous system in alcoholAlcohol-dependent states. The pathogenesis and clinical manifestations of damage to the central and peripheral nervous system against the background of acute and chronic alcoholAlcohol intoxicationIntoxication are discussed. AlcoholAlcohol is a psychotropic central nervous systemCentral nervous system depressant that promotes simultaneous changes in several neural pathways, producing profound neurological effects that lead to a variety of behavioral and biological changes. Knowledge of the neuronal signaling pathways that are altered by alcoholAlcohol makes it possible to identify effectors that may impair its central action, thus opening up new therapeutic perspectives for the rehabilitation of alcoholics.