The first studies into the theory that long and short-term memory loss caused by alcohol consumption were conducted in the 1940s by alcoholism researcher and psychologist E.M. Jellinek. Since then, numerous academic studies and research projects have linked the two, and there is overwhelming evidence to support Jellinek's initial findings. Research conducted by students at the Duke University MedialCenter found that 40% of those surveyed who had consumed alcohol recently had experienced memory loss within the preceding year.

There are also links between the consumption of alcohol and the creation of 'new' memories. In other words, consumption of alcohol makes it more difficult for a person to recall events experienced earlier in their life. This is why many people who want to improve their memory should stop drinking alcohol.

Naturally, the amount of memory loss suffered is often proportionate to the amount of alcohol consumed, but what is notable is that a 'binge drinker' - that is somebody who consumes more than the recommended amount of alcohol at regular intervals - can be equally susceptible to memory loss as alcoholics.

Sometimes, somebody who has suffered short-term memory loss due to consumption of alcohol may report to have consumed a higher amount of alcohol on a previous occasion yet not suffered the same level of memory loss.

Studies stemming from these claims found that memory loss from consumption of alcohol can also be dictated by the speed at which alcohol is consumed. The faster the alcohol is consumed, the quicker the subject's blood-alcohol concentration is increased. This can often mean that subjects consuming less alcohol, but at a faster pace are more likely to experience memory loss than somebody who has drunk more alcohol, but at a slower pace.

The phenomenon of alcohol-related memory loss is often referred to as a 'blackout', of which there are two common kinds.

A person is said to have suffered an 'en bloc' blackout when they are unable to recall events that occurred while they were intoxicated. The subject often has no problem participating in conversations or performing tasks while they remain intoxicated, but once sobriety is restored - typically following sleep - recalling events that occurred while they were in a state of intoxication proves difficult or even impossible.

The second type of blackout is a 'fragmentary' blackout and is sometimes referred to as a 'brownout'. A person is said to have suffered a fragmentary blackout when they are able to recall certain events that occurred while they were intoxicated, but are unaware that other memories of that period are missing.

Often the subject doesn't realise they have suffered memory loss until they are reminded of an event they have forgotten by somebody else.

A person is likely become more susceptible to alcohol related memory loss the more times they suffer it. In other words, those who have suffered blackouts previously are at a greater risk of suffering more of them than those who haven't.

Further studies into a subject's pre-disposition towards alcohol related memory loss suggest that there may be a hereditary link that passes susceptibility to the phenomenon down from generation to generation.

If your memory loss may be caused by memory loss here's a great article and website on how to stop drinking alcohol I think you will find very useful.

You can work on improving your memory but it is also very important to look after it to avoid losing any gains.