Although alcohol is often classified as a general CNS depressant, people under the influence often display increases in such behaviors as sociability, aggressiveness, and general activity. What accounts for this discrepancy?

What will be an ideal response?

Although alcohol does suppress individual neuronal excitability through various mechanisms, these behavioral phenomena are generally explained on the basis of inhibition of inhibition. That is, the higher cortical centers responsible for the inhibition of certain activities in lower brain centers are disrupted by alcohol and allow these types of behaviors and activities to increase. However, with sufficiently high doses of alcohol, neuronal activity in all areas of the brain is suppressed and the person's mood and all behaviors may be depressed. (There is also evidence that during the early portion of intoxication, or with low doses of alcohol, some neuronal activities are directly enhanced by alcohol.)