Biphasic effects of ethanol on behavioral and electrophysiological parameters can be explained by functional organization of neural networks.

The biphasic effect of ethanol on the CNS is usually explained by assuming that excitatory and depressant effects are mediated by different mechanisms. The present alternative explanation states that ethanol depresses the activity of all neurons to the same extent, but that the biphasic effect can result from the functional organization of the neural network concerned. Current experimental evidence is in accordance with both explanations.