The more alcohol an individual drinks, the smaller his or her total brain volume, according to a new report.
Brain volume decreases with age at an estimated rate of 1.9 percent per decade, accompanied by an increase in white matter lesions, according to background information in the article. Lower brain volumes and larger white matter lesions also occur with the progression of dementia and problems with thinking, learning and memory. Moderate alcohol consumption has been associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease; because the brain receives blood from this system, researchers have hypothesized that small amounts of alcohol may also attenuate age-related declines in brain volume.
Although men were more likely to drink alcohol, the association between drinking and brain volume was stronger in women, the researchers reported. This could be due to biological factors, including women’s smaller size and greater susceptibility to alcohol’s effects.
Source: ScienceDaily, 14 October 2008
Chapter: Health :: 4 November 2008
