A new research has found that having eight or more alcoholic drinks per week raises the risk of developing brain injury linked with memory and thinking problems.
The study published in the journal Neurology says that heavy or moderate drinking raises the risk of developing brain lesions — areas of abnormal or damaged tissue associated with dementia. The study does not prove that heavy drinking causes brain injury; it only shows an association.
To evaluate alcohol’s impact on the brain, Dr. Justo and his team examined brain tissue obtained through autopsies performed on more than 1,700 people who had died at 75 on average.
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After adjusting for factors like age at death, smoking, and physical inactivity, heavy drinkers were 133% more likely to have brain lesions than those who never drank. The risk was 89% higher for former heavy drinkers and 60% higher for moderate drinkers
“Our findings indicate that even moderate alcohol consumption can lead to neuropathological changes, challenging the notion that only heavy drinking poses a risk to brain health,” says Justo. “The impact of alcohol on the brain may occur at lower levels of consumption.”
The World Health Organisation (WHO) identifies alcohol as a major public health risk, responsible for 3 million deaths annually. It is linked to over 200 diseases, including liver disease, cancer, and heart conditions.
