That's an interesting conjecture about the roots of blackout alcoholism, but the hippocampus is just one of several areas of interest here. Take a look at images or models of the brains of alcoholics for the horrid damage done by alcoholism. "Increased alcohol intake is associated with damage to brain regions including the frontal lobe, limbic system, and cerebellum, with widespread cerebral atrophy, or brain shrinkage caused by neuron degeneration." (From "Alcohol-related brain damage" at Wikipedia.) Perhaps there is a subconscious wish for annihilation among the habitually blacked out. Another possibility is that atrophy damages parts responsible for desiring life. And is it both of these?
That's an interesting conjecture about the roots of blackout alcoholism, but the hippocampus is just one of several areas of interest here. Take a look at images or models of the brains of alcoholics for the horrid damage done by alcoholism. "Increased alcohol intake is associated with damage to brain regions including the frontal lobe, limbic system, and cerebellum, with widespread cerebral atrophy, or brain shrinkage caused by neuron degeneration." (From "Alcohol-related brain damage" at Wikipedia.) Perhaps there is a subconscious wish for annihilation among the habitually blacked out. Another possibility is that atrophy damages parts responsible for desiring life. And is it both of these?