Exceeding eight or more alcoholic drinks per week increases the risk of brain damage and premature death, as discovered by a team from the University of Sao Paulo (Brazil) whose results are published in the latest issue of the journal Neurology.
What are these injuries and how does this consumption affect our health? There is a specific damage known as hyaline arteriosclerosis that results in an injury associated with memory and thinking problems, as indicated by the researchers in the scientific journal.
The study does not prove that excessive alcohol consumption directly causes brain injuries, but it does show a clear association. The disease narrows the small blood vessels that supply the brain, making them thick and rigid, complicating blood flow.
Over time, areas with more narrowing will have more damage. Alberto Fernando Oliveira Justo, from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of São Paulo (Brazil) and author of the study, notes in a statement that "the research demonstrates that excessive alcohol consumption is harmful to the brain, which can lead to memory and thinking problems."
The WHO attributes the onset of more than 200 diseases to this compound. Worldwide, around 400 million people suffer from disorders due to alcohol consumption, with 209 million being dependent.
"Excessive alcohol consumption is one of the main health problems globally and is associated with increased health problems and mortality," says Oliveira Justo. In our country, habitual consumption is high, ranking second in the EU according to the OECD.
According to the European Health Survey in Spain 2020, 74.6% of men aged 15 and over have consumed alcohol in the last 12 months. In women, the percentage reaches 56.8%. By age groups, the highest consumption corresponds to the 25 to 34 age group (80.6% in men and 64.7% in women). According to the survey, men drink alcohol more frequently than women. "We studied how alcohol affects the brain as people age," notes Oliveira Justo.
The research involved 1,781 people with an average age of 75 at the time of death. All underwent brain autopsies. They examined brain tissue for signs of brain injury, such as tau tangles and hyaline arteriolosclerosis. They also measured the brain weight and height of each participant.
Family members answered questions about the alcohol consumption of the participants. The individuals in the study were divided into four groups: 965 people who never drank, 319 moderate drinkers who consumed seven or fewer drinks per week, 129 heavy drinkers who consumed eight or more drinks per week, and 368 former drinkers. Researchers defined a drink as 14 grams of alcohol, equivalent to about 350 milliliters (ml) of beer, 150 ml of wine, or 45 ml of distilled spirits.
What did they find? After adjusting for factors affecting brain health, such as age at death, smoking, and physical activity, researchers found that heavy drinkers had a 133% higher chance of suffering vascular brain injuries compared to non-drinkers, former drinkers had an 89% higher risk than abstainers, and moderate drinkers had a 60% higher chance than those who did not drink at all.
Another conclusion they reached was the link between heavy alcohol consumption and markers of neurodegeneration. Heavy drinkers and former drinkers were more likely to develop tau tangles, a biomarker associated with Alzheimer's disease, with a 41% and 31% higher chance, respectively.
"We found that excessive consumption is directly related to signs of brain injury. This can cause long-term effects that may impact memory and cognitive ability. Understanding these effects is crucial for public health awareness," concludes Oliveira.
Researchers also discovered that heavy drinkers died an average of 13 years earlier than those who never drank. "We have found that excessive alcohol consumption is directly related to signs of brain injury, which can cause long-term effects on brain health, affecting memory and cognitive ability," says Justo. "Understanding these effects is crucial for public health awareness and for continuing to implement preventive measures to reduce excessive alcohol consumption."