Alcohol and Dementia Risk: How Much Is Too Much?

Heavier drinking, as well as abstaining from alcohol are associated with an increased risk of dementia, according to the results of a recent study.

The researchers conducted a prospective cohort study involving 9087 participants. Alcohol consumption was measured as the mean from 3 assessments between 1985/1988 and 1991/1993 (categorized as abstinent, 1-14 units/week, or >14 units/week); 17-year trajectories of alcohol consumption based on 5 assessments between 1985/88 and 2002/04; CAGE questionnaire for alcohol dependence assessed in 1991/93; and hospital admission for alcohol related chronic diseases between 1991 and 2017.

IF YOU LIKE THIS, READ MORE...

Apathy and Dementia: New Analysis Sheds Light on the Link

Could Exercise Actually Worsen Dementia?

Overall, 397 cases of dementia were recorded over a mean follow-up of 23 years. Abstinence in midlife was linked to a higher risk of dementia (hazard ratio 1.47] compared with consumption of 1-14 units/week, while a 7 unit increase among participants drinking 14 units/week or more was associated with a 17% increased risk of dementia. CAGE score and hospital admission were also found to be associated with increased dementia risk. Long-term abstinence, decreased consumption, and long-term consumption of 14 units/week or more were all associated with a higher risk of dementia compared with long-term consumption of 1-14 units/week when measuring trajectories from midlife to early old age.

“The risk of dementia was increased in people who abstained from alcohol in midlife or consumed >14 units/week. In several countries, guidelines define thresholds for harmful alcohol consumption much higher than 14 units/week. The present findings encourage the downward revision of such guidelines to promote cognitive health at older ages.”

—Michael Potts

Reference:

Sabia S, Fayosse A, Dumurgier J, et al. Alcohol consumption and risk of dementia: 23 year follow-up of Whitehall II cohort study [published online August 1, 2018]. BMJ. doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.k2927.