Alcohol effects on cell membranes.

Abstract

The brain has a great cellular heterogeneity. It is one of the most membrane dense organs in the body. There are different kinds of movements within the membranes. These are influenced by the acute effect of ethanol, which gives rise to more fluid membranes. When the lipid milieu in which the proteins are embedded is disturbed, the properties of the enzymes and receptor proteins are altered. Fluid regions are more affected than rigid ones. In chronic alcoholism, selective vulnerability among the cells determines the final outcome and myelin seems to be reduced. Biochemical assays on humans are restricted to spinal fluid, where brain membrance molecules must be searched for.