OT: Alcohol May Help Preserve Brain Health

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Alcohol May Help Preserve Brain Health

 

By Charnicia E. Huggins

Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2005

 

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Elderly men and women with a history of

mild-to-moderate drinking may experience less mental decline over time

than seniors who do not consume alcoholic drinks, study findings

suggest. The findings imply that mild-to-moderate alcohol consumption

may play a role in helping preserve cognitive function.

 

" Health professionals have generally paid more attention to alcohol

abuse and dependence and their adverse consequences, " study author Dr.

Mary Ganguli, of the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic in

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, told Reuters Health.

 

" Our study suggests that we should also consider the potential benefits

of more modest patterns of alcohol use. "

 

Some prior studies have pointed to the potential benefits of

mild-to-moderate alcohol drinking. One recent study, reported earlier

this year by Reuters Health, showed that women over 70 years old who

reported having about one alcoholic drink per day were less likely than

teetotalers to show signs of mental decline two years later. Other

studies have also pointed to the heart-healthy effects of alcohol

drinking, particularly red wine.

 

The current findings are based on data collected from more a thousand

Southwestern Pennsylvania residents, aged 65 years and older, over an

average seven-year period.

 

The seniors, none of whom showed signs of dementia at the start of the

study, were divided into three groups: one that reported no drinking, a

second group that reported minimal drinking -- once a month or less --

and a third group that reported moderate drinking -- more than once a

month. More than half of the group reported current drinking, but very

few were identified as heavy drinkers, the researchers note.

 

The study participants' mental function was assessed at the start of the

study, with periodic assessments occurring every two years.

 

Overall, seniors classified as minimal drinkers, and those classified as

moderate drinkers, exhibited less decline in their scores on tests that

measured general mental status, executive functions and psychomotor

speed, respectively, than did seniors who reported no drinking. Those

who reported minimal drinking also showed less decline in their scores

on tests of learning, including learning a word list, and naming, than

did non-drinkers.

 

These associations were particularly salient when the current drinkers

were compared to former drinkers versus when they were compared to

seniors with no history of drinking, the report indicates.

 

" This does not necessarily mean that quitting is bad for people; it is

probably more likely that people quit drinking because of poor health or

failing cognition, " Ganguli speculated.

 

If so, this may partly explain why mild-to-moderate drinking was

associated with less cognitive decline. It may be that the seniors who

reported alcohol drinking were simply the healthiest, according to

Ganguli. Other potential reasons for the benefits of alcohol drinking

may be related to its cardiovascular effects, the researcher explained,

including helping to keep the brain's blood vessels clear, or its

beneficial effects on the brain's neurotransmitters, or chemical messengers.

 

Still, despite the findings, Ganguli and her colleagues conclude that

their data " should not be interpreted as recommending initiation or

continuation of alcohol consumption to preserve mental functioning in

the elderly. "

 

" What is needed now is not for people to run out and get drunk in the

hope of preserving their brains, but for more studies to be conducted on

the precise effects of alcohol on brain structure and function, " Ganguli

told Reuters Health.

 

The study was funded by grants from the National Institute on Aging.

 

SOURCE: Neurology, October 2005.

11/03/05 11:15

 

© Copyright Reuters Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Guest guest]

Hi Butch,

 

Think its time I drink something besides coffee and tea. LOL

I need a drink.

 

Smiles ;- ) Nancy

 

 

Alcohol May Help Preserve Brain Health

 

By Charnicia E. Huggins

Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2005