Agenda - Council - 10/24/1995 - Laserfiche WebLink

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MBC Presentations * 21160 Excelsior Blvd. * Excelsior, MN 55331 PARTICIPANT: INFORMATION (Page Five) THE EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ON THE BODY Physiological and Psychological Alcohol effects the central nervous system, primarily the brain. Alcohol causes a deterioration of function, never an improvement. The higher functions are inhibited by the lower blood alcohol levels while more autonomic functions are affected~ later by increasing concentrations. The depressant effects cause deterioration of judgment and serf-control, incoordinafion of voluntary muscle activity, 03 well as impaired vision and hearing. Euphoria, that feeli:Ig of well-being, cannot be measured in quantitative terms, but causes drinkers to see a rosier world and inhilJits a driver from clearly viewing his or her surroundings. This is particularly noticeable in artifzcial tests of skills resembling driving, or of driving performance, when it has been found that drivers, after having taken alcohol, have believed that they have driven particularly well, whereas trained outside observers may detect a deterioration in their performance. Alcohol removes inhibitions with the result being a diminution in the sense of caution and normal restraint. An individual so influenced becomes a safety risk, taking chances the individual would bypass ff he or she were alcohol free. The action of the boOy's voluntary muscles requires an efficient transmission of sensory impulses from the brain to the muscle. Alcohol impairs these transmissions. This is shown as an increase in reaction time, thick speech, and staggeringgait, ultimately to total paralysis of voluntary muscles, and finally, involuntary muscles are affected, and death by ~;espiratory paralysis can occur. Alcohol effects vision and hearing. With regard to vision, acuity deteriorates. This has the effect of driving with sunglasses in twilight Or darkness. Eye coordination and side vision may be effected. Alcohol effects binocular vision. Studies have shgwn that the time required to attain single vision was increased by a factor of 2 at .10% and a factor of 4 at. 15%. Auditory discrimination (hearing) threshold is also altered. Impairment of judgment and self control is one of the most important and insidious effects of alcohol. The subject is almost compl,etely unaware that there is a problem. The subject may drive across town repeatedly while under the influence, never having a problem with driving. This person concludes that he or she can handle liquor. However, when confrooted.with a crisis, or potential accident situation, he ur.she is .unable to respond with the speed, precision and accuracy necessary to avoid the accident. Fetrd Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) and Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAE) Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a combination of physical, mental and behavioral problems found to occur among children of heavily drinking mothers and some mothers who drink moderately during pregnancy. Children with clear-cut manifestations of the syndrome show marked growth deficiencies, a pattern of birth defects, and mental retardation. Ovor 100 babies a year are born with the full FAS in Minnesota, and many more show some Fetal Alcohol Effects including physical and mental abnormalities. Although there are no present laws against serving alcohol to a pregnant woman, the issue is important and undeniably relevant to ,our business. No "safe" level of alcohol consumption by a pregnant womaa has been determined. Some of th~ effects axe directly related to the stage of pregnancy and the amount of alcohol consumed. Critical developmental stages and possible damage can occur in the first months of pregnancy, sometimes before pregnancy has been confirmed. Most of the effects are permanent. Virtually ali infants diagnosed as having FAS have been bom to chronic alcoholics who have been drinking throughout pregnancy. For more information, contact Mary Scheide at the Minnesota Prevention Resource Center at 612-427-5310, Toll-free: 1-800-247-1303. Phone 612-470-9025 * Toll f ee 800-242-2499-* FAX 612470-9019