Substance use: alcoholic blackout: practice question

A Psychiatry question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Psychiatry · Substance use: alcoholic blackout

Sample item

A 28-year-old man drank heavily at a wedding, danced, talked sensibly with relatives and drove home. The next morning he cannot recall anything from after 9 pm. Witnesses noted no confusion or stupor at the time. Which term applies?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

C. Alcoholic blackout

A blackout is a period of anterograde amnesia for events during intoxication, in which the person remained behaviourally coherent. It reflects failure of memory consolidation at high blood alcohol levels, is frequent in heavy drinkers and is regarded as an early warning of problem drinking.

Option by option

  • A. Dissociative amnesia

    Dissociative amnesia follows psychological stress and is not tied to a bout of heavy drinking.

  • B. Delirium tremens

    Delirium tremens occurs during withdrawal with disorientation and hallucinations, not during a drinking bout.

  • C. Alcoholic blackout (correct)

    Correct. Memory for events during intoxication is lost although the person appeared coherent.

  • D. Korsakoff syndrome

    Korsakoff syndrome is a persistent inability to form new memories with confabulation, not a one-night gap.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Psychiatry question

What is the answer to this Psychiatry question?

The best answer is C, Alcoholic blackout. A blackout is a period of anterograde amnesia for events during intoxication, in which the person remained behaviourally coherent.

Why is "Dissociative amnesia" not the answer?

Dissociative amnesia follows psychological stress and is not tied to a bout of heavy drinking.

Why is "Delirium tremens" not the answer?

Delirium tremens occurs during withdrawal with disorientation and hallucinations, not during a drinking bout.

Why is "Korsakoff syndrome" not the answer?

Korsakoff syndrome is a persistent inability to form new memories with confabulation, not a one-night gap.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Substance use: alcoholic blackout in Psychiatry. It reflects failure of memory consolidation at high blood alcohol levels, is frequent in heavy drinkers and is regarded as an early warning of problem drinking.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Substance use: alcoholic blackout?

Learn each diagnosis by its core features and its first-line treatment. Then use the flashcards and the other Psychiatry questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.