Total ethanol consumption as a seizure risk factor in alcoholics
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 27, 2026

Construction of Vapor Chambers Used to Expose Mice to Alcohol During the Equivalent of all Three Trimesters of Human Development
Published on: July 13, 2014
1Department of Neurology, Long Island College Hospital, State University of New York, Brooklyn.
Abstract:
Population studies suggest that seizures occur in chronic alcoholics as an effect of ethanol withdrawal or ethanol toxicity. Our own studies of individuals undergoing inpatient alcohol detoxification revealed a correlation between the number of detoxifications conducted and the probability that the individual will have a seizure disorder. To establish the basis for this association we studied drinking histories, drug use, and related characteristics of 500 individuals, 83 of whom were women, who enrolled in an inpatient detoxification program. Discriminant analyses revealed a direct correlation between average daily alcohol consumption and the prevalence of seizures in the alcoholic individuals studied. This correlation was significant, but it was not as strong as that between seizure prevalence and the number of times an individual underwent inpatient detoxification. This data supports the hypothesis that seizures occur in alcoholics because of a long-term kindling effect of recurrent detoxifications and a more short-term effect of ethanol exposure.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
CNS Depressants: Alcohol and Nicotine
Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview
Various factors can trigger epilepsy, including genetic factors, brain damage, metabolic causes, and unknown etiology. Diagnosis of epilepsy involves electroencephalography (EEG), which...
Seizures: Classification
Seizures are typically classified into two main categories: focal and generalized seizures.
Focal Seizures
Focal seizures originate from specific regions of the brain. These seizures are further sub-classified into two types:
Antiepileptic Drugs: GABAergic Pathway Potentiators
The key GABA pathway potentiators used in epilepsy management are as follows.
Benzodiazepines are a well-known class of drugs used for their...
Seizures l: Introduction
Hepatic Encephalopathy

