INFLUENCE OF ETHANOL AND ITS FIRST METHABOLITE ACETALDEHYDE ON THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM

• Main Authors: Lucija Šarc, Metoda Lipnik Štangelj
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Slovenian Medical Association 2009-02-01
• Series: Zdravniški Vestnik
• Online Access: http://vestnik.szd.si/index.php/ZdravVest/article/view/344

Background Ethanol, a legal drug, is a big social problem in our country. First of all because of addiction development and also due to consequences of the chronic alcoholism. Ethanol effects to almost all organ systems. Consequences of its both, acute and chronic effects, are visible especially in the central nervous system (CNS). Mechanisms of ethanol toxic effects have been already well researched. Lately, many studies attributed at least a part of ethanol effects to its first metabolite acetaldehyde which is produced, mainly with catalase, in the CNS. Acetaldehyde should have key role in the chronic ethilism development. Conclusions Effects of ethanol on the CNS are well known, and its main toxic mechanisms on the CNS have been getting more and more known/researched. Last studies showed that acetaldehyde alone shows effects similar to ethanol. Similar are also some known mechanism of acetaldehyde action. “The most ethanol effects are consequence of its first metabolite action” is still speculative statement, until it will be confirmed that such acetaldehyde effects could be developed by acetaldehyde concentrations accessible in the brain after individual drinking of ethanol.