When you quit drinking alcohol after a long period of over-consumption, high ___ activity can lead to potentially dangerous withdrawal syndrome.

Question

When you quit drinking alcohol after a long period of over-consumption,  high ___ activity can lead to potentially dangerous withdrawal syndrome.

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

The question asks: When you quit drinking alcohol after a long period of over-consumption, high ___ activity can lead to potentially dangerous withdrawal syndrome.

First, note that the provided answer options are missing from the dataset, so I cannot restate or compare all possible choices. Nevertheless, I can explain the concept and why the given answer makes sense in the typical clinical context.

Alcohol withdrawal is characterized by a rebound hyperactivity of the central nervous system after cessation. Chronic alcohol use enhances GABAergic (inhibitory) effects and suppresses glutamatergic (excitatory) activity. When alcohol is suddenly removed, the brain’s adaptation creates a state of relatively reduced GABA inhibition and relatively increased glutamatergic excitation. This shift leads to signs of withdrawal and, in severe cases, can precipitate dangerous hyperexcitability such as seizures and autonomic instability.

Specifically, excessive glutamate activity, mediated largely through NMDA receptors, is implicated in withdrawal phenomena. During withdrawal, upregulated glutamatergic signaling can cause excitotoxic stress on neurons and CNS hyperexcitability, which explains why high glutamate activity is associated with severe withdrawal syndromes.

If I were considering competing options (had they been provided), lines of reasoning would involve:
- A choice implying a neurotransmitter with inhibitory action (e.g., GABA) would be incorrect for explaining withdrawal hyperexcitability, since withdrawal reflects a loss of inhibitory tone plus a compensatory increase in excitation, not an increase in inhibition alone.
- A choice suggesting a metabolic or hormonal factor would need to connect how that factor directly drives CNS excitability; without that link, it would be less consistent with the classic mechanism of alcohol withdrawal.
- A choice focusing on acetylcholine or dopamine would require a clear, established link to withdrawal hyperexcitability; while they play roles in various neurophysiological processes, the primary driver of dangerous withdrawal symptoms is the imbalance favoring glutamatergic excitation after removal of alcohol's modulatory effects.

In summary, the statement that high glutamate activity can lead to potentially dangerous withdrawal syndrome aligns with the neuroadaptations seen in alcohol dependence, where withdrawal unbalancing toward excitation (glutamate) underpins seizure risk and severe autonomic symptoms.

FDSCTE 1120 SP2025 (33574) Exam 1

When you quit drinking alcohol after a long period of over-consumption, high ___ activity can lead to potentially dangerous withdrawal syndrome.

View Explanation

Log in for full answers

Similar Questions

Identify the bond angle and molecular shape of H2O.

Using Dalton's Atomic theory, explain the following observation. Hint: DO NOT answer with a law! The mass of the products at the end of the reaction was the same as the mass of the reactants at the beginning.

The number of valence electrons in a sulfur atom is 16.

If matter is uniform throughout and can be separated into multiple substances by physical means, it is called a(n) ________________.

Circle the letter for all examples of chemical change. Circle all correct answers.

Which of the following Lewis structures are incorrect? There may be more than one.

For 18O2-, identify each of the followingMass Number

Match each of the following experiments with the main result of the experimental work.

More Practical Tools for International Students

Exam Browser Assistant

Stylized Writing Assistant

Plagiarism Checker Assistant

Citation Assistant

In-Class Translation Assistant

Class Notes Assistant

Quiz Search Assistant

Past Exam Questions by School

Smart Practice Assistant

Adaptive Practice

Making Your Study Simpler