Until recently, scientists did not know why, after drinking too much alcohol, a person can get up different things, and then do not remember about it. According to statistics, such dips in memory can last from several minutes to several hours, writes The Times of India.

Now neurologists from the medical school at the University of Washington have identified brain cells involved in these memory failures, and the molecular mechanism responsible for this. As it turned out, a large amount of alcohol does not kill brain cells. Alcohol affects the key receptors. This triggers the ejection of steroids that inhibit the LTP process, which enhances the neuronal connection and is important in terms of learning and memory.

This mechanism affects the NMDA receptors associated with glutamate transmitting signals between neurons, explains Yokitoshi Izumi, a professor of psychiatry at the University School of Medicine. If the activity is too high or too low, the NMDA receptor can produce a toxic effect.

Alcohol inhibits the work of some receptors, and then activates the other. As a result, neurons produce steroids in order to stop LTP and memory formation. To do this, it takes a lot of alcohol.

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