Does Alcohol Impair Memory?
Alcohol acts as a general central nervous system depressant and affects a large portion of the brain. People who abuse alcohol can experience both short-term and long-term memory loss, but it especially negatively influences the encoding of episodic memory.
Even though it triggers the release of endorphins in our body that make us feel relaxed and euphoric, this chemical substance lowers the levels of neurotransmission in the brain. This action depresses or reduces arousal or stimulation in the dedicated brain areas.
In Which Way Does Alcohol Impair Memory?
Abuse of alcohol in large amounts can lead to damage to the hippocampus. Consumed in larger quantities, alcohol damages the neurons’ dendrites, which prevents the neurotransmitters from relaying the sensory information to the neurons in the processing areas of the cerebral cortex.
The slowing down of the communication between the neurons triggers loss of memory due to its decelerated and difficult retrieving. Also, long-term exposure damages the neuron cells which affects the person’s short-term and long-term memory.
What Are the Symptoms of Alcohol-Induced Memory Impairment?
The following is a list of symptoms that may point to alcohol-induced memory impairment:
- Confabulation
- Blackouts
- Personality changes
- Asking the same question repeatedly
What Is Confabulation?
Confabulation is an unintentional or unconscious filling of the gap in memory by some imagined or untrue experiences. The affected individual believes that these experiences are true, but they have no base in reality.
What Are Alcohol-Induced Blackouts?
Alcohol interferes with the function of the brain structures involved in the formation of new memories. During an alcohol-induced black-out, the person forgets anything that has happened while they were drinking but remembers everything before the black-out had occurred.
A blackout refers to an episode of amnesia, during which people who drink alcohol are capable of participating in an event, but are not able to remember it later. These episodes can be short, such as forgetting where the affected person has parked the car or left the keys, but the blackouts can stretch over an entire night and make the person not remember anything during that time.
Personality Changes
People under the prolonged influence of alcohol appear to be more extroverted, angry, withdrawn, or frustrated.
Asking the Same Question Repeatedly
One of the most notable symptoms of memory loss due to alcohol abuse is when the person constantly asks the same question, without remembering they have previously asked it.
Fun Facts
Did you know?
- Since alcohol obstructs the function of the prefrontal cortex structures, it disrupts the functions of the behavioral inhibitory centers in the brain, and decision-making and rational thinking become severely impaired. That’s why people who drink alcohol sometimes make silly things.
- A large intake of alcohol can be very dangerous. It can cause dehydration, seizures, injuries, vomiting, coma, and even result in death.
- Alcohol tends to make people more extroverted in their behavior.
- The beverage labeled as Spirytus Vodka contains up to 95% alcohol, which makes it the strongest alcoholic drink in the world!
- Alcohol can exacerbate the effects of anxiety and depression in the affected individuals.
- Korsakoff syndrome is a neurological disorder frequently related to chronic abuse of alcohol and its toxic effects on the neurons. It’s characterized by the inability of the affected individual to form new memories.
- The Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome refers to the permanent damage to the areas of the brain responsible for the memory processes due to heavy abuse of alcoholic beverages, as well as Vitamin B1 deficiency.
- Addiction to alcohol can result in damage to all brain structures, which in turn can lead to severe neurological disorders, as well as loss of memory.
- It is never safe nor wise to drink and drive!