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MOST OF US have witnessed the outward signs of heavy drinking: the stumbling walk,
slurred words and memory lapses. People who have been drinking have trouble with
their balance, judgment and coordination. They react slowly to stimuli, which is why
drinking before driving is so dangerous. All of these physical signs occur because of the
way alcohol affects the brain and central nervous system.
Cerebral cortex: In this region, where thought processing and consciousness are
centered, alcohol depresses the behavioral inhibitory centers, making the person
less inhibited; it slows down the processing of information from the eyes, ears, mouth
and other senses; and it inhibits the thought processes, making it difficult to think
clearly.
Cerebellum: Alcohol affects this center of movement and balance, resulting in the
staggering, off-balance swagger we associate with the so-called "falling-down
drunk."
In the short term, alcohol can cause blackouts -- short-term memory lapses in which
people forget what occurred over entire stretches of time. The long-term effects on the
brain can be even more damaging.
Adapted from:
http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/human-brain/alcoholism4-htm/printable