In this study it was found that when one consumes alcohol there is a receptor that is blocked in the brain that is used to form memories. That receptor is blocked for a certain amount of time which is why that person is incapable of making memories when they drink. A somatic intervention was used. Which means that something was changed and a behavior was observed. In this case, a chemical was used that was found in alcohol on animals. That chemical blocked the receptors and the animals were unable to form any memories. The only reason it worked was because alcohol could cross the blood brain barrier. The blood brain barrier is the barrier around the blood vessels in the brain which keep out the toxins in the blood from interfering with the neurons. Ethanol was able to cross the blood brain barrier and with that, affecting the hippocampus. The hippocampus is responsible for making memories. Another important part in making memories is the long term potentiation (LTP). It is when two neurons join together at the synapses and when it joins it become more vulnerable to stimuli. Which is how that memory is formed and maintained.
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