Is amnesia common when a person is drinking alcohol?

Is amnesia common when a person is drinking alcohol?

Alcohol can stunt the brain from developing new memories. Two types of memory events can happen to heavy drinkers: blackouts and amnesia.

Heavy alcohol abusers who have poor diets are at risk of developing Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (alcoholic amnesia) affects 1% to 3% of the population, often people who are between 30 years old and 70 years old. Researchers have concluded that alcohol prevents the body from processing the nutrient B1, a vitamin vital to memory. The damage done to the brain by alcoholic amnesia is permanent in 80% of cases. This alcohol-induced syndrome includes a severe anterograde amnesia or ability to form new memories. Patients may also confabulate or ‘make up’ highly unusual memories.