Effects of alcohol on memory

High school (ages 12+)
Human Body

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/effects-of-alcohol-on-memory

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the primary neurotransmitter systems affected?GABA (inhibitory) and Glutamate (excitatory, especially NMDA receptors)
2. What is the cellular mechanism impaired?Long-term potentiation (LTP), crucial for memory consolidation
3. What happens to my memory when I drink alcohol?Alcohol slows the brain’s ability to turn new information into long‑term memories by making certain brain chemicals work too hard or too weak. It can make it hard to remember things that happened while drinking.
4. Why do people have blackouts after drinking?Blackouts happen when alcohol stops the brain from moving memories from short‑term to long‑term storage. The brain still sees things, but the memories don’t stick.

Synaptic Plasticity: The ability of synapses to strengthen or weaken over time, fundamental to learning and memory.
Neurotransmitters: Chemical messengers that transmit signals across synapses between neurons.
Long-Term Potentiation (LTP): A persistent strengthening of synapses based on recent patterns of activity, a key mechanism for memory.
Memory Consolidation: The process by which short-term memories are converted into stable, long-term memories.