Intoxication and Alcoholism: Physiological Factors

Abstract

Alcoholism is a complex problem whose full comprehension involves concepts from many disciplines. One of these is physiology, dealing with the nature of alcoholic beverages and their fate and action in the body. The pri mary action of alcohol is on the brain, producing intoxication. Since alcohol is consumed in the body liberating energy, its excessive use curtails adequate in take of other essential foods, creating deficiency diseases common to alcoholics. Intoxication itself also indirectly injures organs and functions of the body. Al though physiology has contributed much to knowledge about the course and medical treatment of alcoholism, it has not provided an answer to its etiology.