Alcoholism

High school (ages 12+)
Human Body

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/alcoholism

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the clinical classification?Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), a chronic relapsing brain disease
2. What is the primary neurotransmitter effects?Enhances GABAergic inhibition and inhibits glutamatergic excitation
3. Why do people keep drinking even when it hurts them?People with alcoholism feel a strong craving for alcohol and find it hard to stop. Their brain changes make it difficult to control how much they drink. This can lead to many problems in life.
4. How does alcohol affect the brain?Alcohol makes the brain’s “stop” signals weaker and the “go” signals stronger. This can change how the brain works and hurt memory and decision making. Over time, the brain can shrink in parts that help us think and remember.

Neuroadaptation: Changes in the brain's structure and function in response to chronic substance use.
Pharmacotherapy: The use of medications to treat medical conditions, including addiction.
Co-occurring Disorders: The presence of two or more mental health conditions or substance use disorders in the same person.