What's the science on getting blackout drunk?

[Sqube]

I understand that getting blackout is getting so drunk that you can't remember what happened the night before.

What's the process, though? How's it work?

 

[Modeps]

getting that drunk is sooo cool maaann

 

[yankeesfan]

?As the person continues to drink, he becomes increasingly intoxicated until he reaches a point where brain function is so inhibited that the brain cannot commit events to memory ? a state commonly referred to as alcohol intoxication delirium or ?black out?,? says Prof Willie Pienaar of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Stellenbosch.

Google

 

[Chryso]

Basically you keep drinking until you pass out.

 

[Sqube]

Originally posted by: yankeesfan
?As the person continues to drink, he becomes increasingly intoxicated until he reaches a point where brain function is so inhibited that the brain cannot commit events to memory ? a state commonly referred to as alcohol intoxication delirium or ?black out?,? says Prof Willie Pienaar of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Stellenbosch.

Google

I kinda figured that the brain couldn't commit stuff to memory when you got blackout drunk because, you know, you can't remember stuff. I was looking for something a little more science-y.

Does [whatever it is in alcohol that fucks you up] inhibit your neurons? More science!

 

[HombrePequeno]

Originally posted by: Chryso
Basically you keep drinking until you pass out.

When you don't pass out it's referred to as 'time traveling.'

 

[moshquerade]

you pass out from drinking alcohol = you've been poisoned, and sometimes that leads to death.

 

[Farang]

I will perform an experiment and get back to you.

 

[MiniDoom]

:beer:<---all the answers you wanted...

 

[Ryan]

Originally posted by: Sqube

Originally posted by: yankeesfan
?As the person continues to drink, he becomes increasingly intoxicated until he reaches a point where brain function is so inhibited that the brain cannot commit events to memory ? a state commonly referred to as alcohol intoxication delirium or ?black out?,? says Prof Willie Pienaar of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Stellenbosch.

Google

I kinda figured that the brain couldn't commit stuff to memory when you got blackout drunk because, you know, you can't remember stuff. I was looking for something a little more science-y.

Does [whatever it is in alcohol that fucks you up] inhibit your neurons? More science!

IT PREVENTS YOUR BRAIN FROM FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY BECAUSE IT'S PRIMARY ENERGY SOURCE IS POISONED. Geeze - how much more specific do you need to get? The alcohol prevents the cells from functioning correctly.

The "whatever it is in alcohol that fucks you up" is ALCOHOL.

 

[Modeps]

Originally posted by: Sqube

Originally posted by: yankeesfan
?As the person continues to drink, he becomes increasingly intoxicated until he reaches a point where brain function is so inhibited that the brain cannot commit events to memory ? a state commonly referred to as alcohol intoxication delirium or ?black out?,? says Prof Willie Pienaar of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Stellenbosch.

Google

I kinda figured that the brain couldn't commit stuff to memory when you got blackout drunk because, you know, you can't remember stuff. I was looking for something a little more science-y.

Does [whatever it is in alcohol that fucks you up] inhibit your neurons? More science!

Ethanol is a poison. When you drink, you're slowly poisoning yourself.
Here's all you need to know. Wikipedia is your friend.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E...of_alcohol_on_the_body

 

[Sqube]

Originally posted by: Ryan

Originally posted by: Sqube

Originally posted by: yankeesfan
?As the person continues to drink, he becomes increasingly intoxicated until he reaches a point where brain function is so inhibited that the brain cannot commit events to memory ? a state commonly referred to as alcohol intoxication delirium or ?black out?,? says Prof Willie Pienaar of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Stellenbosch.

Google

I kinda figured that the brain couldn't commit stuff to memory when you got blackout drunk because, you know, you can't remember stuff. I was looking for something a little more science-y.

Does [whatever it is in alcohol that fucks you up] inhibit your neurons? More science!

IT PREVENTS YOUR BRAIN FROM FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY BECAUSE IT'S PRIMARY ENERGY SOURCE IS POISONED.

Thanks for... shouting...? Maybe I wasn't clear about the type of answer I was hoping to get. I was hoping for something along the lines of "as you drink more, [chemical x in alcohol] has [effect y on the brain], resulting in your brain not being able to commit events to memory."

Not "when you drink a lot you can't remember."

 

[MiniDoom]

Originally posted by: Modeps

Originally posted by: Sqube

Originally posted by: yankeesfan
?As the person continues to drink, he becomes increasingly intoxicated until he reaches a point where brain function is so inhibited that the brain cannot commit events to memory ? a state commonly referred to as alcohol intoxication delirium or ?black out?,? says Prof Willie Pienaar of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Stellenbosch.

Google

I kinda figured that the brain couldn't commit stuff to memory when you got blackout drunk because, you know, you can't remember stuff. I was looking for something a little more science-y.

Does [whatever it is in alcohol that fucks you up] inhibit your neurons? More science!

Ethanol is a poison. When you drink, you're slowly poisoning yourself.
Here's all you need to know. Wikipedia is your friend.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E...of_alcohol_on_the_body

I can say the same about air, and when you breath, you're slowly poisoning yourself.

 

[destrekor]

Originally posted by: rdubbz420

Originally posted by: Modeps

Originally posted by: Sqube

Originally posted by: yankeesfan
?As the person continues to drink, he becomes increasingly intoxicated until he reaches a point where brain function is so inhibited that the brain cannot commit events to memory ? a state commonly referred to as alcohol intoxication delirium or ?black out?,? says Prof Willie Pienaar of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Stellenbosch.

Google

I kinda figured that the brain couldn't commit stuff to memory when you got blackout drunk because, you know, you can't remember stuff. I was looking for something a little more science-y.

Does [whatever it is in alcohol that fucks you up] inhibit your neurons? More science!

Ethanol is a poison. When you drink, you're slowly poisoning yourself.
Here's all you need to know. Wikipedia is your friend.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E...of_alcohol_on_the_body

I can say the same about air, and when you breath, you're slowly poisoning yourself.

damn you oxygen! i need you to live, but you hate me and my body! why? why?!!

 

[HombrePequeno]

Are you looking for what brain receptor it messes up? According to Wiki (already referenced above), it screws with the NMDA receptor which is the one involved with learning and memory.

 

[MiniDoom]

Originally posted by: destrekor

Originally posted by: rdubbz420

Originally posted by: Modeps

Originally posted by: Sqube

Originally posted by: yankeesfan
?As the person continues to drink, he becomes increasingly intoxicated until he reaches a point where brain function is so inhibited that the brain cannot commit events to memory ? a state commonly referred to as alcohol intoxication delirium or ?black out?,? says Prof Willie Pienaar of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Stellenbosch.

Google

I kinda figured that the brain couldn't commit stuff to memory when you got blackout drunk because, you know, you can't remember stuff. I was looking for something a little more science-y.

Does [whatever it is in alcohol that fucks you up] inhibit your neurons? More science!

Ethanol is a poison. When you drink, you're slowly poisoning yourself.
Here's all you need to know. Wikipedia is your friend.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E...of_alcohol_on_the_body

I can say the same about air, and when you breath, you're slowly poisoning yourself.

damn you oxygen! i need you to live, but you hate me and my body! why? why?!!

21% oxygen, go a head and try that with 100%.

 

[Deeko]

From what I recall from AP Bio in high school....

A message sent to/from your brain, or an impulse, has to "jump" between the dendrites of different neorons. The length of the neoron is known as an axon, and the end branches out in a tree-like structure known as a dendrite - and different neurons meet at the dendrite. When alcohol is in your system, it impedes the ability for the impulse to make this jump, so the message never reaches it's target - among the first neurons to be affected are fine motor skills. The more alcohol is in your blood, the more neurons are affected. Eventually, memory is similarly affected.

That could be partially wrong, I am trying to remember it from a good 8 or 9 years ago.

 

[Anubis]

Originally posted by: Sqube


What's the process, though? How's it work?

drink a lot over a short ammnt of time

simple science

 

[Sqube]

HombrePequeno and Deeko (assuming you're right), those were the kinds of answers I was looking for.

Merci.

 

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: Chryso
Basically you keep drinking until you pass out.

Blacking out is not passing out, though. Blacking out is when you're still conscious and doing stuff, but have no recollection of those events the next day.

I recommend not ever having one.

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: yankeesfan
?As the person continues to drink, he becomes increasingly intoxicated until he reaches a point where brain function is so inhibited that the brain cannot commit events to memory ? a state commonly referred to as alcohol intoxication delirium or ?black out?,? says Prof Willie Pienaar of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Stellenbosch.

Google

While I'm sure the alcohol has something to do with it, other "sober" situations can work the same way.

I've forgotten entire conversations I've had with my wife if we are talking before we go to bed. Your brain just doesn't fully "commit" like you mentioned. Same thing with people before they faint. They sometimes can't remember what happened. And same thing with concussions.

If your brain shuts down without warning (like passing out from alcohol, fainting, ect) it fails to finish "writing" whatever event happened immediately before it.

 

[zinfamous]

It's basically a self-defense mechanism of your body. your brain shuts down on a conscious level in the hopes that it can begin to repair the massive amounts of damage that it is currently undergoing. If the will is retarded, the autonomous functions can take over and do what they do best-keep you alive. same thing happens when you inhale too much C02. you pass out, so that your respiratory can begin breathing oxygen. Of course, this is state-specific. Assuming you aren't under water or in a C02 tank, it should work fine. This concept works in the situation where a stubborn child holds their breath in an attempt to get what they want. If they truly are capable of holding their breath until they pass out (highly unlikely), then they'll regain shortly after they pass out....but with a rather large headache.

your brain is thinking to itself "wtf are you doing?! allright, i'm shutting your ass down so I can keep both of us alive. oh, and expect a pretty severe headache/nausea in the morning. that should learn you from doing this again, moron." at least...that's what my brain tells me.

 

[zinfamous]

Originally posted by: Sqube

Originally posted by: Ryan

Originally posted by: Sqube

Originally posted by: yankeesfan
?As the person continues to drink, he becomes increasingly intoxicated until he reaches a point where brain function is so inhibited that the brain cannot commit events to memory ? a state commonly referred to as alcohol intoxication delirium or ?black out?,? says Prof Willie Pienaar of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Stellenbosch.

Google

I kinda figured that the brain couldn't commit stuff to memory when you got blackout drunk because, you know, you can't remember stuff. I was looking for something a little more science-y.

Does [whatever it is in alcohol that fucks you up] inhibit your neurons? More science!

IT PREVENTS YOUR BRAIN FROM FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY BECAUSE IT'S PRIMARY ENERGY SOURCE IS POISONED.

Thanks for... shouting...? Maybe I wasn't clear about the type of answer I was hoping to get. I was hoping for something along the lines of "as you drink more, [chemical x in alcohol] has [effect y on the brain], resulting in your brain not being able to commit events to memory."

Not "when you drink a lot you can't remember."

well, good luck finding that answer, being that there is no solid explanation for memory = x in medical science.

the best you will find is that ethanol kills cells, period. it lyses them. this is a bad thing. neurons are cells, memory is contained in neural cells, hence you're going to be losing some memory function when you kill those cells

 

[IGBT]

Originally posted by: yankeesfan
?As the person continues to drink, he becomes increasingly intoxicated until he reaches a point where brain function is so inhibited that the brain cannot commit events to memory ? a state commonly referred to as alcohol intoxication delirium or ?black out?,? says Prof Willie Pienaar of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Stellenbosch.

Google

..that's why great acts of violence and recklessness can occur and the drunk will have no memory of what he/she did or had done to them.

 

[BurnItDwn]

Originally posted by: HombrePequeno

Originally posted by: Chryso
Basically you keep drinking until you pass out.

When you don't pass out it's referred to as 'time traveling.'

Dave Attell is awesome!