Heavy drinking link to dementia

In chronic heavy drinkers, medics have traditionally focused on the damage caused to the liver. But now it is feared excessive drinking is a major risk factor for dementia.

Doctors should be alert and offer help to reduce alcohol consumption if necessary, researchers advise in The Lancet Public Health.

Examining discharged people from French hospitals between 2008 and 2013 they found over a million had a diagnosis of some form of dementia. Around 3% of dementia cases could be attributed to alcohol-related brain damage.

The association was even stronger in early-onset dementia where 57% of people were chronic heavy drinkers.

The World Health Organization defines chronic heavy drinking as consuming more than 60g of pure alcohol a day for men (six small glasses of wine) and more than 40g a day for women. That’s only four small glasses of wine daily.

The study’s lead author Michael Schwarzinger said: “The link between dementia and alcohol-use disorders needs further research but is likely a result of alcohol leading to permanent structural and functional brain damage.

“Alcohol-use disorders also increase the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, atrial fibrillation and heart failure, which may in turn increase the risk of vascular dementia.

“Lastly, heavy drinking is associated with tobacco smoking, depression and low educational attainment, which are also risk factors for dementia.”

Clive Ballard of University of Exeter Medical School said the study was “important and highlights the potential of alcoholuse disorders, and possibly alcohol consumption, as modifiable risk factors for dementia prevention.

He added: “In our view, this evidence is robust and we should move forward with clear public health messages about the relationship between both alcoholuse disorders and alcohol consumption and dementia.”