Study by University of São Paulo Examines Alcohol Consumption and Age-Related Brain Pathology
The study, published in ‘Neurology’, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, does not prove that excessive alcohol consumption causes brain injury; it only shows an association.
Key Findings:
- Heavy drinkers (those consuming eight or more alcoholic drinks per week) have a higher risk of suffering brain injuries called hypertensive arteriosclerosis, associated with memory and reasoning problems.
- Heavy drinkers have a 133% higher likelihood of having brain vascular lesions compared to non-drinkers, ex-heavy drinkers have an 89% higher likelihood, and moderate drinkers have a 60% higher likelihood after adjusting for factors affecting brain health.
- Heavy drinkers and ex-heavy drinkers have a 41% and 31% higher probability, respectively, of developing tau tangles, a biomarker associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
- Heavy drinkers die, on average, 13 years earlier than non-drinkers.
Understanding the Study
The study, conducted by researchers from the University of São Paulo in Brazil, aimed to analyze the relationship between alcohol consumption and age-related brain pathology in a population study.
Who is Dr. Alberto Fernando Oliveira Justo? He is a researcher from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of São Paulo, Brazil. His work focuses on understanding how excessive alcohol consumption affects the brain as people age.
Study Methodology
The study included 1,781 individuals with an average age of 75 at the time of death. All participants underwent a brain autopsy, and researchers examined the brain tissue for signs of brain injury such as tau knots and hypertensive arteriosclerosis. They also measured each participant’s brain weight and height.
Participants were divided into four groups: 965 non-drinkers, 319 moderate drinkers (consuming seven or fewer drinks per week), 129 heavy drinkers (eight or more drinks per week), and 368 ex-heavy drinkers.
Key Results
- Brain Vascular Lesions:
- 40% of non-drinkers had brain vascular lesions.
- 45% of moderate drinkers had brain vascular lesions.
- 44% of heavy drinkers had brain vascular lesions.
- 50% of ex-heavy drinkers had brain vascular lesions.
After adjusting for factors affecting brain health, such as age at death, smoking, and physical activity:
- Heavy drinkers had a 133% higher likelihood of having brain vascular lesions compared to non-drinkers.
- Ex-heavy drinkers had an 89% higher likelihood, and moderate drinkers had a 60% higher likelihood.
Additional Findings:
- Excessive alcohol consumption in the past was associated with lower brain mass proportion, poorer cognitive abilities, and worse cognitive performance. However, no correlation was found between moderate or excessive alcohol consumption and brain mass proportion or cognitive abilities.
- Only in ex-heavy drinkers were cognitive deteriorations observed, aside from brain lesions.
Implications and Limitations
Dr. Justo states: “Our findings directly link excessive alcohol consumption to signs of brain injury, which can have long-term effects on brain health, impacting memory and reasoning capabilities. Understanding these effects is crucial for public health awareness and implementing preventive measures to reduce excessive alcohol consumption.”
Study Limitations: The study did not analyze participants before death and lacked information on the duration of alcohol consumption and cognitive abilities.
Key Questions and Answers
- Q: What does the study prove? A: The study does not prove that excessive alcohol consumption causes brain injury; it only shows an association.
- Q: How does excessive alcohol consumption affect the brain? A: Excessive alcohol consumption is harmful to the brain, potentially causing memory and reasoning problems.
- Q: How does alcohol consumption impact lifespan? A: Heavy drinkers die, on average, 13 years earlier than non-drinkers.
- Q: What are the limitations of this study? A: The study did not analyze participants before death and lacked information on the duration of alcohol consumption and cognitive abilities.
