ABSTRACT
How alcohol, nicotine and caffeine affect the brain and the mental health implications are examined. The actions of alcohol on the reward pathway within the brain are discussed, and alcohol withdrawal delirium, Korsakoff syndrome and Wernicke’s encephalopathy are explained. The A1 allele and other genes related to alcohol abuse are explained. Nicotine’s action in the brain and the mechanism of addiction through nicotinic receptors are identified. Drug interactions for alcohol and nicotine are identified. The mechanism by which caffeine acts in relation to adenosine and its receptors in the brain, and how it can cause dependence, are all described and explained.
