What Is the Relationship between Alcohol and the Central Nervous System?

The central nervous system is a part of the body that includes the brain, spinal column and surrounding nerves, all of which are affected by the consumption of alcohol. Alcohol and the central nervous system are connected by alcohol's depressing effects on the mind, emotions, speech and the ability to judge and make decisions. When alcohol is consumed, the deterioration of the central nervous system follows a routine behavior, categorized first by the inability to think clearly followed by improper movement and lack of balance. Memory loss and confusion are also common symptoms associated with alcohol and the central nervous system, as are emotional outbursts and instability.

There are many known relationships between alcohol and the central nervous system, most of which involve the mind, emotions and physical behavior. The first connection that has been widely researched is the decreased ability to make wise decisions or judgements. When alcohol is consumed in large amounts, thinking becomes hazy and unclear, often resulting in memory loss, confusion and poor critical thinking skills. Poor decision making also increases during this time, as proper brain functioning is hindered and depressed following large amounts of alcohol.

Emotional depression and mood issues also result following alcohol consumption, even though alcohol is perceived as being an emotional and physical stimulant. Although emotional outbursts can occur during a drunk or hazy state, alcohol is considered to exaggerate emotions and cause people to become unstable and have mixed emotions. Since behavior and decisions often occur as the result of a feeling or emotion, poor decision making will also occur while the central nervous system is depressed from alcohol consumption. Happiness, anger and sadness are common emotions experienced during drinking, and they are often exaggerated and appear in a specific sequence.

Poor balance and coordination are also common examples of the relationship between alcohol and the central nervous system, and often involve clumsiness and poor posture. Since the mind controls all aspects of behavior and physical movement, it makes since that the depressive action of alcohol can cause movement and balance to become hindered. This can also affect areas such as driving or operating machinery, as coordination is often slowed and unfocused. Proper execution of simple tasks can often become quite difficult to accomplish following alcohol consumption.