A patient does not remember the specific incidents of the days of heavy drinking. The patient is experiencing:

Question

Question

This question was previously asked in

KGMU Nursing Officer 2023 Memory-Based Previous Year Paper

Answer 1

Correct Answer: Blackouts

Rationale:

Blackouts refer to episodes of memory loss where the person is unable to recall specific events or incidents during periods of heavy alcohol consumption. This occurs because alcohol impairs the ability of the brain to form and store new memories, particularly in the hippocampus, which is responsible for memory formation.
During a blackout, the individual may still be conscious, engage in conversations, or perform actions, but they will have no recollection of these events once the alcohol's effect wears off.
Blackouts are caused by a rapid increase in blood alcohol concentration (BAC), typically associated with binge drinking. Consuming large amounts of alcohol in a short period overwhelms the brain's ability to process information and store it as long-term memory.
Alcohol-induced blackouts can be categorized into two types: "fragmentary blackouts" (partial memory loss) and "en bloc blackouts" (complete memory loss for a specific period).

Explanation of Other Options:

Hangover

Rationale: A hangover is a set of symptoms that occur after excessive alcohol consumption, including headache, fatigue, nausea, and dehydration. While hangovers can involve physical discomfort and some difficulty recalling minor details, they do not cause complete memory loss of specific incidents like blackouts do.

Delirium

Rationale: Delirium is a serious medical condition characterized by confusion, disorientation, and impaired cognitive function. It can be caused by alcohol withdrawal (delirium tremens) or other medical issues, but it is not the same as blackouts, which are directly linked to memory impairment due to alcohol consumption.

Dementia

Rationale: Dementia is a chronic or progressive condition that leads to a decline in cognitive abilities, including memory, reasoning, and communication skills. It develops over time and is not related to short-term memory loss caused by alcohol-induced blackouts.

Conclusion:

The correct answer is blackouts because they specifically describe the inability to recall events during episodes of heavy drinking due to alcohol impairing memory formation. Other options, such as hangover, delirium, and dementia, describe different conditions that are not directly related to alcohol-induced memory loss during intoxication.