The Pharmacodynamics and Natural History of Alcoholism

摘要: Alcoholism may be defined as drug dependency upon ethanol in man and, such, considered to follow Seevers’ (1968) paradigm of dependence with depressants (Fig. 1). Seevers postulates that the basic mechanism compulsive abuse alcohol, all drugs, is primary psychological dependence, a positive reinforcement conditioning which administration alcohol associated rewarding experience—usually either euphoriant effect or relief discomfort—which, each successive experience, reinforces conditioned response, i.e., drinking. With depressant increasing amounts are taken more frequently, body adapts toxic effects and tolerance develops, both metabolic tissue tolerance, result increasingly large doses ingested. As tissues central nervous system remain bathed for prolonged periods time high concentrations third significant physical becomes physiologically dependent ethanol, resulting, concentration declines, an acute withdrawal syndrome, marked by hyperexcitability CNS which, its most severe form, manifests itself clinically delirium tremens.