[Considering the psychotropic effect of alcohol]

The use of alcohol--one of the oldest drugs of mankind--has positive and negative effects in our societies which are related to the psychotropic actions of this substance. Alcohol exhibits an astonishingly broad spectrum of psychopharmacological effects, including anxiolytic, sedative hypnotic and stimulating euphoric components. Accordingly, alcohol affects all major neurobiological systems. Nevertheless, the psychopharmacological action varies from one individual to another. With biological markers, the recognition of differences in susceptibility to alcohol, such as a genetic predisposition to alcoholism, is attempted or indicators of abusive alcohol consumption are sought. Existing biological markers, however, are not yet specific for certain psychopharmacological actions sought by patients in a self medication process. Some possible implications of new biomedical findings for alcohol policy are discussed.