The purpose of this report is to recognise the impact that alcohol has on the brain and explore how this relates to academic performance. Alcohol dates back thousands of years, and has since become an enormous cultural and social factor in our society. Truthfully, alcohol is in no way an essential part of our lifestyle or diet, however in moderation it can be a good form of relaxation, socialisation or celebration. Academic performance on the other hand is an extremely important attribute used daily throughout society. Individuals that receive a good education and perform well academically often have higher self-esteem, lower rates of mental health issues, are able to block out distractions and experience success through a large percentage of their life. In addition to being good for the individual, academically successful citizens are increasingly likely to find employment, volunteer, have health insurance and are unlikely to participate in criminal activity. This is vital for our economy, community and Australia as a whole.
To obtain thorough comprehension about the impact of alcohol on academic performance, this report will include an understanding of the chemical properties of alcohol, the effect that it has on the brain, potential short term and long term consequences, and a discussion on how all of these components influence academic performance.
To obtain thorough comprehension about the impact of alcohol on academic performance, this report will include an understanding of the chemical properties of alcohol, the effect that it has on the brain, potential short term and long term consequences, and a discussion on how all of these components influence academic performance.
Background
Scientifically, alcohol is referred to as ethanol, and its main functional group is the hydroxyl group, which is written as –OH. Alcohol has a molecular mass of 46.07 g/mol, a molecular formula of C2H6O, and a condensed structural formula of C2H5OH.
Alcohol is soluble in water, this is as the hydroxyl group possesses the ability to form bonds with water molecules. In most chemicals classified as alcohols, this solubility actually decreases while the hydrocarbon chain length increases. Longer hydrocarbon chains require more energy to overcome the bonds because the molecules are located closer to one another. Additionally, the boiling point is dependent on its size. In most circumstances, the greater the length is, the higher the boiling point. A bigger molecule size results in a stronger force between the molecules, thus to break down the force more heat must be absorbed. This information is not relevant to ethanol however, as it does not change its carbon chain length. Alcohol can also be converted to an alkene via the process of dehydration/removal of a water molecule. This occurs when it is heated with a concentrated sulfuric acid at 180°C.
Alcohol is formed through the process of fermentation. This is a metabolic process involving the conversion of a sugar into an alcohol or acid. Ethanol fermentation is undergone when pyruvate is broken down by yeast into the components of carbon dioxide and ethanol. By undertaking this process without the presence of air, once complete the carbon dioxide bubbles out, leaving behind ethanol and water. The chemical equation for this process looks like this:
C6H12O6 (glucose) → 2 C2H5OH (ethanol) + 2 CO2 (carbon dioxide)
There is various different types of alcohol, and a range of alcohol contents. This is determined by the type of sugar, and technique used when manufacturing.
Once alcohol penetrates the stomach, approximately 20% is absorbed, and enters the bloodstream. Consequently, within a very short amount of time, the drug reaches the brain, creating potential feelings of confidence, relaxation or happiness. The remaining portion travels to the intestines with other nutrients. Alcohol proceeds throughout the entire body, affecting the brain and tissues until it is completely metabolized. Any alcohol that isn’t absorbed by the liver accesses the remainder of the body, impacting speech, judgement, memory and movement. If heavy drinking is undergone over a long time period, the frontal lobes of the brain may shrink, impairing thinking skills.
When alcohol is consumed it acts like many other drugs in that it increases the amount of dopamine present in the reward pathway. The way that it achieves this is by indirectly exciting the dopamine producing neurons, so that they generate more action potentials. Dopamine builds up in the synapse to an amount in which is much larger than normal, causing continuous stimulation or overstimulation. Repeated exposure to alcohol decreases how responsive the rewards system is to everyday stimuli, and eventually the drugs ability to reward. This is because the brain reduces the number of neurotransmitters available to it in order to moderate its effects. This is called a hypo functioning rewards system. Higher doses are then required in order to obtain the same effect, likely provoking further detrimental effects for academic performance.
The interference with neurotransmitters and levels of serotonin can cause possible feelings of anxiety and depression. During a short term time period alcohol actually boosts these levels, however over a lengthier duration they are lowered. An increasing amount of alcohol results in slower communication between neurons, affecting mood, responses and feelings. The chemical serotonin is a thought to be responsible for mood regulation, appetite, sleep, memory and many other functions, and is manufactured in the brain and intestines. Although it is unknown specifically what causes depression, a link has been formed between them. Over a long term period, these decreased levels can prove harmful for our mental health, creating panic attacks and a lowly mood.
Researchers have undertaken various tests in order to determine parts of the brain in which are the most susceptible to alcohol's effects. It has been found that these include the cerebellum, limbic system, hippocampus and cerebral cortex. Damage to the cerebellum can negatively affect memory, and the way in which individuals handle/respond to certain situations. The limbic system is also responsible for monitoring our memory, and the hippocampus is the location which memories are made at. The cerebral cortex impacts our ability to think, plan, interact, solve problems, remember and learn. In regards to academic performance, this sector is essential. If one continues to drink excessively over a long period of time, this damage can be irreversible.
Although consuming alcohol in moderation will only produce temporary dizziness and blurry vision, excessive long term consumption can produce permanent eye conditions. Both this short and long term impaired eyesight is caused by many contributing factors, including the effect that alcohol consumption has on the optic nerves, decreased pupil reaction time, strain on organs of the body and delayed communication time between the brain and eyes. When people drink excessively the reaction time of the pupils is decreased, thus the ability to see colours is impaired and they may be able to dilate when reacting to particular light. Next, the delayed communication between the brain and eyes caused by slower interaction between neurotransmitters results in a weakened eye muscle coordination. This explains why many experience double or distorted vision. Finally, continuous drinking puts critical strain on many of the organs of the body, including the liver. As the eye is correlated with many of these organs, drinkers are more likely to be subjected to eye conditions and/or declining eyesight.
Furthermore, alcohol has been shown to disrupt and reduce sleep quality. Although its sedative effects may lead people to fall asleep quicker, it reduces the amount of occurring rapid eye movement (REM). REM makes up approximately 20-25% of an adult’s sleep, and is important for the avoidance of drowsiness, and poor concentration. The more alcohol consumed before retiring, the larger the disruption. In younger children, sleep deprivation and lack of the REM stage is associated with behavioural problems and a decreased brain mass.
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| Figure 1: Molecular structure of Ethanol. Retrieved from: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ethanol-3d-stick-structure.svg |
Alcohol is soluble in water, this is as the hydroxyl group possesses the ability to form bonds with water molecules. In most chemicals classified as alcohols, this solubility actually decreases while the hydrocarbon chain length increases. Longer hydrocarbon chains require more energy to overcome the bonds because the molecules are located closer to one another. Additionally, the boiling point is dependent on its size. In most circumstances, the greater the length is, the higher the boiling point. A bigger molecule size results in a stronger force between the molecules, thus to break down the force more heat must be absorbed. This information is not relevant to ethanol however, as it does not change its carbon chain length. Alcohol can also be converted to an alkene via the process of dehydration/removal of a water molecule. This occurs when it is heated with a concentrated sulfuric acid at 180°C.
Alcohol is formed through the process of fermentation. This is a metabolic process involving the conversion of a sugar into an alcohol or acid. Ethanol fermentation is undergone when pyruvate is broken down by yeast into the components of carbon dioxide and ethanol. By undertaking this process without the presence of air, once complete the carbon dioxide bubbles out, leaving behind ethanol and water. The chemical equation for this process looks like this:
C6H12O6 (glucose) → 2 C2H5OH (ethanol) + 2 CO2 (carbon dioxide)
There is various different types of alcohol, and a range of alcohol contents. This is determined by the type of sugar, and technique used when manufacturing.
Once alcohol penetrates the stomach, approximately 20% is absorbed, and enters the bloodstream. Consequently, within a very short amount of time, the drug reaches the brain, creating potential feelings of confidence, relaxation or happiness. The remaining portion travels to the intestines with other nutrients. Alcohol proceeds throughout the entire body, affecting the brain and tissues until it is completely metabolized. Any alcohol that isn’t absorbed by the liver accesses the remainder of the body, impacting speech, judgement, memory and movement. If heavy drinking is undergone over a long time period, the frontal lobes of the brain may shrink, impairing thinking skills.
When alcohol is consumed it acts like many other drugs in that it increases the amount of dopamine present in the reward pathway. The way that it achieves this is by indirectly exciting the dopamine producing neurons, so that they generate more action potentials. Dopamine builds up in the synapse to an amount in which is much larger than normal, causing continuous stimulation or overstimulation. Repeated exposure to alcohol decreases how responsive the rewards system is to everyday stimuli, and eventually the drugs ability to reward. This is because the brain reduces the number of neurotransmitters available to it in order to moderate its effects. This is called a hypo functioning rewards system. Higher doses are then required in order to obtain the same effect, likely provoking further detrimental effects for academic performance.
The interference with neurotransmitters and levels of serotonin can cause possible feelings of anxiety and depression. During a short term time period alcohol actually boosts these levels, however over a lengthier duration they are lowered. An increasing amount of alcohol results in slower communication between neurons, affecting mood, responses and feelings. The chemical serotonin is a thought to be responsible for mood regulation, appetite, sleep, memory and many other functions, and is manufactured in the brain and intestines. Although it is unknown specifically what causes depression, a link has been formed between them. Over a long term period, these decreased levels can prove harmful for our mental health, creating panic attacks and a lowly mood.
Researchers have undertaken various tests in order to determine parts of the brain in which are the most susceptible to alcohol's effects. It has been found that these include the cerebellum, limbic system, hippocampus and cerebral cortex. Damage to the cerebellum can negatively affect memory, and the way in which individuals handle/respond to certain situations. The limbic system is also responsible for monitoring our memory, and the hippocampus is the location which memories are made at. The cerebral cortex impacts our ability to think, plan, interact, solve problems, remember and learn. In regards to academic performance, this sector is essential. If one continues to drink excessively over a long period of time, this damage can be irreversible.
Although consuming alcohol in moderation will only produce temporary dizziness and blurry vision, excessive long term consumption can produce permanent eye conditions. Both this short and long term impaired eyesight is caused by many contributing factors, including the effect that alcohol consumption has on the optic nerves, decreased pupil reaction time, strain on organs of the body and delayed communication time between the brain and eyes. When people drink excessively the reaction time of the pupils is decreased, thus the ability to see colours is impaired and they may be able to dilate when reacting to particular light. Next, the delayed communication between the brain and eyes caused by slower interaction between neurotransmitters results in a weakened eye muscle coordination. This explains why many experience double or distorted vision. Finally, continuous drinking puts critical strain on many of the organs of the body, including the liver. As the eye is correlated with many of these organs, drinkers are more likely to be subjected to eye conditions and/or declining eyesight.
Furthermore, alcohol has been shown to disrupt and reduce sleep quality. Although its sedative effects may lead people to fall asleep quicker, it reduces the amount of occurring rapid eye movement (REM). REM makes up approximately 20-25% of an adult’s sleep, and is important for the avoidance of drowsiness, and poor concentration. The more alcohol consumed before retiring, the larger the disruption. In younger children, sleep deprivation and lack of the REM stage is associated with behavioural problems and a decreased brain mass.
Discussion
With the previously discussed knowledge in mind, it is obvious that there is a variety of different ways in which alcohol can affect academic performance, both directly and indirectly. To put it into perspective, a student consuming alcohol on a regular basis will be affected in some of the ways stated below.
The vast majority of our population is aware that often after heavy drinking, users will experience a hangover, potentially lasting for more than 24 hours. This refers to when an individual experiences distasteful physiological and psychological effects, such as a headache, dizziness, fatigue, concentration issues, anxiety and nausea following the use of ethanol. When experiencing these consequences a student is exceedingly unlikely to want to attend school, causing a decrease in attendance which may become substantial depending of the magnitude to which this occurs. There is shown to be a strong correlation between attendance and academic achievement, as student whom is not present at any given class is unable to retain information that has not been shared with them. They also lack the ability to ask questions, and are later limited to any notes or resources issued during class.
The common theme of poor mental health can clearly be seen throughout earlier paragraphs. Whether it be from lack of sleep or a decreased serotonin levels, it is clear that in regards to the wellbeing of an individual, alcohol does not induce positive effects. Mental health is one of the things that allows many individuals to realise and reach their full potential, step outside of their comfort zone, handle stress, pressure and expand their capabilities. An absence of this may result in difficulty concentrating, a lack of interest in schooling, abysmal attendance and the inability to recall information. These side effects actually justify why students with poor mental health do not excel when it comes to academic performance.
When consuming alcohol initial feelings confidence, relaxation and happiness are felt as a result of a dopamine build up in the synapse. In order to obtain these effects continuously, they are likely to consume the substance again, eventually requiring higher dosages. If this continues into the expected path of addiction, they may become subjected to long term effects including loss of productivity, mental health issues and many illnesses such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and stroke. If one becomes exposed to these issues, this may impact their day to day life and attendance, reducing learning. This regular intake of alcohol will ultimately cause permanent damage, hindering academic performance and stopping individuals from reaching their full potential over a lifelong period.
Most drinkers have sufficient understanding or first-hand experience in relation to the short-term impact that alcohol has on eyesight. However some remain unaware on the never-ending eye diseases and the substantial impact that they have on academic performance. Some of these conditions include increased cataract formation, risk of age-related macular degeneration, tunnel vision and tobacco-alcohol amblyopia. In regards to academic performance, those experiencing poor vision may take longer to complete certain tasks, headaches or eye strain causing distraction, short attention span, avoidance and dislike in regards to reading activities and memory difficulties. Additionally, consistent exposure to alcohol in the womb can impact the eyesight of the baby, causing them to become exposed to the previously stated effects throughout their entire life.
As it was earlier stated in the article, consumption of alcohol interferes with the REM stage of the sleep cycle, causing sleep deprivation. This can consequently restrict the ability to receive information, focus and resolve complications. In some cases people find themselves unable to recall information, lacking the ability to remember names, numbers, homework and dates. Although this would prove disadvantageous in all situations, it could harshly impact results on testing and exams. Sleep is also important for both mental and physical wellbeing, it can assist in an improved diet and stress reduction. Generally, those that withhold a positive outlook on life, and maintain a healthy lifestyle perform better on average across most areas, this helps conclude that overall sleep is essential, and it would be advised against using a drug such as alcohol that may reduce it.
Especially in maturing young people, alcohol can affect biological/brain development which continues into their early twenties. This is one of the reasons why there is legal age requirements to obtain a drink. Damage to development can result in lifelong devastation to functions controlling memory, brain function and motor skills. Often this harm will continue to progress as those that begin to consume alcohol during their teens are increasingly likely to become dependent and addicted to it, due to the strong feeling of reward felt when taking the substance. In addition to the consequences stated above, alcohol consumption is tied to poor attendance and high dropout rates. A short study was undergone, and it was found that heavy drinkers were over 4 times more likely to state that they had skipped classes, 5 times more likely to drop out and reportedly more disobedient.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this report provides an understanding on the effect of alcohol on the brain and thereupon academic performance. It has summarised the chemical properties of alcohol including how it is formed, its molecular structure, molecular formula and functional group. The impact that alcohol has on the brain has been explored, addressing both long-term and short term side effects, including why they occur. Major detail has been gone into in regards to how each of these factors contribute negatively towards academic performance, thus it can now be assumed that alcohol does indeed hinder academic performance.
Public Education Piece
My public education piece is a pamphlet to advise the general public of the information learned during this research assignment.
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