Neuron: A nerve cell that receives and sends electrical signals over long distances within the body. A neuron receives electrical input signals from sensory cells (called sensory neurons) and from other neurons.
Photo Credit Claudio Beduschi/iStock/Getty Images. If you're looking to build muscle, understand that alcohol consumption can hinder your results in multiple ways. In addition to directly reducing muscle protein synthesis, alcohol can interfere with hormones that are necessary for building muscle. Furthermore, alcohol can decrease important molecules and nutrients that supply the energy required for muscle-building workouts.
Brain Chemical Imbalances after Long-Term Alcohol Use. Alcohol has widespread effects on the brain and can affect neurons (nerve cells), brain chemistry, and blood flow within the frontal lobes of the brain. Neurotransmitters (chemical messengers in the brain) are affected by long-term use of alcohol. When a person who is dependent on alcohol stops drinking, chemical responses create an overexcited nervous system and agitation by changing the level of chemicals that inhibit impulsivity or stress and excitation.