How Alcohol Disrupts the Brain: A Complex Balance of Stimulation and Suppression

Alcohol consumption affects brain function by simultaneously slowing key processes and triggering euphoric neurotransmitter releases.

Alcohol reaches the brain within six minutes of consumption, impacting both cognitive and physical functions.
It slows cellular communication and energy production, impairing reaction times, vision, and situational awareness.
Excessive drinking can lead to memory blackouts, or 'filmrisse,' where short-term memories fail to transfer into long-term storage.
Alcohol’s dual effects—dampening most brain activity while stimulating some regions—create a state of imbalance likened to pressing the gas and brake pedals simultaneously.
Hangovers result from factors like dehydration, disrupted sleep, and toxic byproducts of alcohol metabolism, including acetaldehyde and methanol derivatives.