ABSTRACT
A wide historical literature on the subject of alcohol can be traced back over many centuries. Recent developments and a selection of ‘classic’ papers are listed in the Further Reading section of this chapter. Ethyl alcohol is a sedative drug rapidly absorbed in the upper gastrointestinal tract. Use leads to dose-related altered inhibitions, inebriation, loss of consciousness, coma, diminished reflexes, and eventual death by respiratory depression (the traditional phases of general anesthesia). The neurobiological mechanisms involved are complex.
