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The Effects of Alcohol on Motor Skills

Alcohol affects every organ in the body, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It depresses the central nervous system because it is absorbed directly into the bloodstream. Even though the liver tries to metabolize alcohol, it can only work with a small amount at a time. What is not metabolized circulates throughout body and can affect motor skills.

  1. Basic Motor Functions

    • Excess alcohol in the system slows people down. They will walk slower and even talk slower. This also means that their reaction time is slower, which is why it is recommended that people not drink and drive or operate other machinery under the influence of alcohol. Blurred vision, including double vision, can happen from consuming alcohol. Impaired memory is also an effect of alcohol, causing some people not to remember things they did when they were drinking.

    Factors That Effect Loss of Motor Functions

    • Not everyone has the same reaction to alcohol. Two people could drink the same amount and one may have impaired talking or walking, whereas the other seems sober. Factors that affect people's reaction to the alcohol include how much they have been drinking, how often and how long they have been a drinker, age, sex and even weight, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

    Effects on Movement

    • Because alcohol affects a person's motor skill, drinking can cause a lack of coordination. According to UTSA.edu, alcohol can keep a person from doing a simple task such as putting the key in the car ignition or door. On a larger scale, alcohol can impair walking or even getting up out of a chair.

    Effects On Vision and Hearing

    • Anyone who has ever consumed alcohol knows that it impairs vision. Alcohol consumption causes blurred vision. But, it can also cause hearing loss. "Medical News Today" suggests that alcohol can cause damage to different parts of the brain over time. This damage can include the loss of hearing. It affects hearing by inflicting damage to the auditory pathways.

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