A recent study published on April 9, 2025, in Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, has revealed that individuals who consume eight or more alcoholic drinks per week face a significantly higher risk of brain damage in the form of hyaline arteriolosclerosis. This condition, characterized by the narrowing and stiffening of small blood vessels in the brain, is linked to cognitive decline, including memory and thinking issues.
While the study does not establish causality, it highlights a concerning association between heavy alcohol consumption and brain injury. Hyaline arteriolosclerosis results in reduced blood flow to the brain, potentially leading to long-term damage over time.
“Heavy alcohol consumption is a significant global health concern, and our study indicates it contributes to brain damage, which may result in memory and cognitive problems,” said Dr. Alberto Fernando Oliveira Justo, a researcher at the University of São Paulo Medical School in Brazil and author of the study.
The study, which involved 1,781 participants with an average age of 75 at death, examined postmortem brain tissue for signs of damage, including tau tangles and hyaline arteriolosclerosis. Participants’ family members provided information about their alcohol consumption habits, and researchers categorized the individuals into four groups: non-drinkers, moderate drinkers (seven or fewer drinks per week), heavy drinkers (eight or more drinks per week), and former heavy drinkers.
Key findings of the study included:
- 40% of non-drinkers, 45% of moderate drinkers, 44% of heavy drinkers, and 50% of former heavy drinkers exhibited vascular brain lesions.
- After adjusting for factors like age, smoking, and physical activity, heavy drinkers had 133% higher odds of developing vascular brain lesions compared to non-drinkers. Former heavy drinkers had 89% higher odds, while moderate drinkers had 60% higher odds.
- Additionally, heavy and former heavy drinkers were found to have higher odds (41% and 31%, respectively) of developing tau tangles, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease.
- Former heavy drinkers exhibited a lower brain mass ratio, indicating a smaller proportion of brain mass relative to body mass, and poorer cognitive abilities. No such link was found between moderate or heavy drinking and brain mass ratio or cognitive abilities.
The study also revealed that heavy drinkers died, on average, 13 years earlier than those who abstained from alcohol.
Despite these significant findings, the study did not track participants before their deaths or gather information on the duration of their alcohol consumption. Additionally, cognitive ability data was not available for all participants prior to their deaths.
Dr. Justo stressed the importance of understanding the long-term effects of heavy drinking on brain health, emphasizing the need for continued public health efforts to reduce alcohol consumption and prevent associated cognitive decline.
The study was funded by The São Paulo Research Foundation.
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