Overview
A brownout is similar to a blackout where, as a result of drinking to excess, someone loses part of their memory or has hazy recall of it. A blackout is when someone experiences complete memory loss because the brain didn’t transfer anything from short-term to long-term memory. Both are distinct from passing out, which is losing consciousness altogether rather than just losing memory. In terms of mechanisms, the difference between brownouts and blackouts is the extent to which a higher BAC leads to disruption in the brain’s hippocampus region. There’s an argument to be made that the real value of the distinction is social, since making two categories lessens the apparent severity of drinking to the point of brain disruption or damage. Yet, it’s entirely possible to meet the criteria for substance or alcohol use disorder without blacking out once.