Alcohol and the Human Body The following sheet will help you complete your Web lesson. Print this page and continue with the lesson.
		Answer the questions on the topic area you have been assigned -- the brain; the liver; the central nervous system; the digestive system; or blood-alcohol levels and other issues. For every topic area, you should also research community organizations that provide non-alcohol related activities. You will use the information you find about your assigned topic area to draft articles for your newsletter. You must use at least two different sources to document your findings. In addition, formulate two questions of your own based on your research. The following sites will be useful for your research:  National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information (NCADI) http://www.health.org NCADI has current and comprehensive information about substance abuse prevention.  National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. http://www.ncadd.org This site has information on alcoholism and substance abuse and provides reproducible educational materials and fact sheets.  Hazelden Foundation http://www.hazelden.org The Hazelden Information Center offers free publications dealing with alcohol and drug dependency.  Effects of Alcohol on the Human Body http://www.lion-breath.com/breffects.html This page offers information about alcohol and its effects on the body.  Alcohol and the Body http://police.mtsu.edu/safety/alcohol/alhmreact.html More information on alcohol and the body.  What Are the Effects of Alcohol on Children and Teens? http://www.inform.umd.edu:8080/EdRes/ Colleges/BSOS/Depts/Cesar/metnet/alca4a4.mnu Examines the effects of alcohol on children and teens.  Effects of Alcohol on the Brain http://www.inform.umd.edu:8080/EdRes/ Colleges/BSOS/Depts/Cesar/metnet/alca4d1.mnu Explores the effects of alcohol on the brain.  Indirect Effects of Alcohol on the Brain http://www.inform.umd.edu:8080/EdRes/ Colleges/BSOS/Depts/Cesar/metnet/alca4d2.mnu Explores the indirect effects of alcohol on the brain.  Effects of Alcohol on the Digestive System http://www.inform.umd.edu:8080/EdRes/ Colleges/BSOS/Depts/Cesar/metnet/alca4b1.mnu Explores the effects of alcohol on the digestive system.  Hangovers http://h-devil-www.mc.duke.edu/h-devil/drugs/alcohol.htm Examines the immediate effects of alcohol on the body. Also provides a chart to figure blood alcohol levels. The Brain: What happens to the brain when alcohol is ingested? How does the brain of non-alcoholics and alcoholics differ? How does liver damage affect brain function? What is Wernicke's disease? What are the immediate effects of alcohol to the brain? What are the long-term effects of chronic alcohol use on the brain? What is a blackout? Why is the function of judgment more affected by alcohol than the function of heart rate? The Liver: How long does it take for the liver to metabolize alcohol? What are the long-term effects of chronic alcohol use on the liver? What is hepatic encephalopathy and how is it caused? What happens when the body is poisoned by alcohol? What is cirrhosis of the liver and how is it caused? The Central Nervous System: Alcohol is a depressant. What does this mean? Why does it appear that alcohol works as a stimulant? How does alcohol affect motor coordination? What are the long-term effects of alcohol abuse on this system? The Digestive System: Does alcohol cause heartburn? If so, how? What is a perforated ulcer and how is alcohol a contributor to this problem? What is malabsorption syndrome? Why does alcohol cause the body to dehydrate? Blood Alcohol Levels (B.A.L.) and Other Questions: If the B.A.L. rises above 0.200%, symptoms of poisoning occur. Use the Healthy Devil Online chart (http://gilligan.mc.duke.edu/h-devil/drugs/alcohol.htm) to calculate how much alcohol an average adult male would have to consume to reach this level in a two hour period. Calculate the same for an average adult female. Do males and females require the same amount of alcohol to reach 0.200%? If not, why do you suppose they differ? How much alcohol would a 125 pound male have to consume in a three hour period to cause coma or death? According to Hazelden's facts about chemical dependency, alcohol damages women's bodies more quickly than men's. Why is this so? If alcohol-related death is the third largest cause of preventable death, what are the first two? Non-Alcohol Related Activities: Search the Web and phone book for groups or organizations in your community that offer afterschool activities. You may want to research groups such as 4-H, YMCA, and Boys and Girls Club of America. Think about ways to volunteer. Call your local hospital or Red Cross. Find out what it takes to become a Big Brother or Big Sister. Remember to record the phone numbers and, if possible, the URLs of these community organizations to add to the newsletter. Find out what they offer, what it takes to get involved, and when and where the group meets. This information can be included in the newsletter.