You overdo it the weekend before the big test and drink way too much alcohol. As a result, you get very nauseous and throw up. You remember the next day that one brain area is unprotected by the blood-brain barrier, which triggered your nausea by the excessive alcohol. This area was the ______.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The area postrema, located in the medulla oblongata of the brain, is one of the circumventricular organs that lacks a blood-brain barrier, allowing it to detect toxins in the blood and induce vomiting. This is why excessive alcohol consumption, which introduces toxins into the bloodstream, can trigger nausea and vomiting through the area postrema's detection of these toxins.

You Overdo It the Weekend Before the Big Test and Drink