The experience changed his drinking habits. Alcoholics have higher limits. Although not well understood, enzymes that break down and expel alcohol in the liver and kidneys do so more effectively in seasoned drinkers, allowing them to tolerate more, Schandler said. Regardless of a person's tolerance, alcohol exerts its influence when the amount of alcohol taken in exceeds the amount that the body can digest. At that point, alcohol passes from the bloodstream into the brain and begins its attack.
Alcohol first affects the brain's cortex, which controls more sophisticated thought processes.
That's why people generally become less inhibited under the influence of alcohol, and some are more willing to try things that could be dangerous to themselves or others. Coordination, mainly controlled by the cerebellum, is the next to go, leading to slurred speech and difficulty walking in a straight line. At that point, people may pass out or fall into a coma. Their vital signs may weaken. Eventually, the heart simply stops.