Drinking more than 8 drinks a week, dying 13 years earlier on average...twice the risk of dementia
Apr 10, 2025
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In addition, studies have shown that drinking in this way doubles the risk of dementia in old age.
Researchers at Sao Paulo Medical University in Brazil recently published their findings on the association of alcohol consumption with cognitive ability and neuropathological changes' in the international journal 『Neurology』.
The researchers performed brain autopsies of 1,781, whose average age was 75 years old at the time of death.
The researchers examined brain tissue to find signs of brain damage, such as 'tau protein' and 'free arteriosclerosis', which increase the risk of dementia.
Tau protein interferes with connections between brain cells, and vitreous arteriosclerosis makes it difficult for blood to travel to the brain area, causing vascular dementia.
In addition, the researchers classified △ 965 people who had never drunk alcohol △ 319 people who drank less than 7 drinks a week 'moderate drinkers' △'overdrinkers' △ 368 people 'ex-overdrinkers'. A glass of alcohol is roughly the same as a glass of wine or a glass of beer.
Analysis showed that 45–50% of those who had moderate, heavy or previously heavy drinking showed signs of vitreous arteriosclerosis in the brain.
In comparison, 40% of people who don't drink at all showed signs of damage.
However, after adjusting for factors that may affect brain health, such as smoking status, physical activity level, and age of death, heavy drinkers were 133% more likely to develop arteriosclerosis compared to those who did not drink at all.
Those who previously drank too much were 89% more likely to show signs of vascular damage, and 60% of moderate drinkers.
We also found that heavy drinkers and previously heavy drinkers were 30% to 40% more likely to damage tau protein compared to non-drinkers.
In response, the researchers said "Our study shows that excessive alcohol consumption can damage the brain, leading to memory and thinking problems."
Dr. Alberto Fernando Oliveira Husto, who led the study, emphasized that "excessive alcohol consumption is a major health problem around the world associated with increased health problems and deaths" and that "it is important to continue to implement preventive measures to raise public health awareness and reduce heavy drinking.'
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
