Booze (liquor) fogs up brain in 6 mins.

Booze fogs up brain in 6 mins   
Times of India Bangalore, June 18, 2009

Washington: Alcohol can get to a person’s head in just six minutes after taking a drink, according to researchers in Heidelberg.
    Using Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS), scientists have shown that only six minutes after consuming an amount of alcohol equivalent to three glasses of beer or two glasses of wine — which leads to a blood alcohol level of 0.05 to 0.06% — can cause changes in the brain cells. While earlier data was only available from animal trials, the new study on humans has shown that the brain reacts quickly to alcohol.
   
 “Our study provides evidence for alternative energy utilisation upon alcohol ingestion, i.e. the brain uses an alcohol breakdown product instead of glucose for energy demands,” said Armin Biller at Heidelberg University Hospital. They demonstrated that the harmful effect of alcohol also sets in quickly.
    During the experiment, it was found that the concentration of substances like creatine (energy metabolism), which are attributed with protecting cells, decreases as the concentration of alcohol increases. Choline, a component of cell membranes, was also reduced. 

 “That probably indicates that alcohol triggers changes in the composition of cell membranes,” said Biller. “However, we assume that the brain’s ability to recover from the effect of alcohol decreases or is eliminated as the consumption of alcohol increases.” ANI