How do "blackouts" occur? Blackouts are an apparent result of depression of activity in the part of the brain known as the hippocampus. The function of this brain area concerns cognitive learning and memory. It is known to be very sensitive to the effects of central nervous system depressant drugs such as alcohol, opioids, anesthetics, and even some stimulants such as cocaine. The rest of the brain is not as sensitive to such drugs, so that an intoxicated person may appear fine - until the next day when certain events of "the night before" are not remembered.
Can drugs other than alcohol cause "blackouts"? While the alcohol-induced "blackout" is most well known, other drugs can cause it. A blackout is nothing more than a brief period of drug-induced short-term amnesia. Thus, some anesthetics used for surgery cause blackouts, but the term is not used with this therapeutic use of drugs, since short-term amnesia of the surgical event is a desired outcome. Other drugs that cause intense intoxication, such as opioids (powerful analgesics such as morphine), cocaine, LSD, and ecstasy can also cause blackouts
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