Alcohol and Brain Structural Damage

[Thai]

Moderate Drinking Associated with Structural Brain Changes

By Amy Orciari Herman

Edited by David G. Fairchild, MD, MPH, and Lorenzo Di Francesco, MD, FACP, FHM

Drinking several high-alcohol beers — or their equivalent — each week is associated with adverse changes to the brain's structure, suggests a study in The BMJ.

Some 530 U.K. adults regularly reported their alcohol intake and underwent cognitive function testing over 30 years. At the end of follow-up, participants underwent brain MRI.

Higher alcohol intake was associated with reduced gray matter density, hippocampal atrophy, and reduced white matter microstructural integrity. Greater consumption was also linked to reduced lexical fluency (i.e., information retrieval based on spelling). Alcohol's effects were dose-dependent, with negative effects emerging with 7–14 units per week (14 units are equivalent to 4 pints of strong beer or 5 large glasses of wine). Light drinking (1–7 units/week) didn't have a protective effect.

An editorialist says the results "strengthen the argument that drinking habits many regard as normal have adverse consequences for health. With publication of this paper, justification of 'moderate' drinking on the grounds of brain health becomes a little harder."

 

[4Reak Show]

What's this a PSA? Jesus. Is there a Boring Medical Warning Forum I can join? Enough with these facts and figures about things my shrunken and drunken brain can't compute, let's party!

I'm already naked

 

[Thai]

What's this a PSA? Jesus. Is there a Boring Medical Warning Forum I can join? Enough with these facts and figures about things my shrunken and drunken brain can't compute, let's party!

I'm already naked

Yup too late for you.

 

[4Reak Show]

You're so boring... God at least get fired up or something. What a waste of humanity


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[97BlackAckCL]

Welp, we're all gonna die some day, might as well die happy or brain dead... #yolo

 

[Net4n6]

Drinking several high-alcohol beers — or their equivalent — each week is associated with adverse changes to the brain's structure, suggests a study in The BMJ.

Now I know why my friends gave me a hard time when I told them "Rosie O'Donnell is hot":banana:

 

[ADK Explorer]

I prefer plant entheogens.

 

[00Sebby]

But somebody has to drink these. And I'm the only one at my house that likes beer. :cheers:

 

[catrains]

Depends on what alcohol your drinking.

I drink 1 glass of wine at my evening dinner. 70yrs old no health problems and NO drugs from the street or doctor . still going pretty good..

I suggest to stay away from hard liqueur .. I used to drink whiskey 100 proof in my younger days , not good for your brain ....

vodka or gin IMO like drinking solvents ..

 

[monflores11]

But somebody has to drink these. And I'm the only one at my house that likes beer. :cheers:

Same here, we need drinking buddies.

25398306_10213655304029842_2615176764234534531_o by Ramon Flores, on Flickr

 

[00Sebby]

Same here, we need drinking buddies.

You're right! I mean I got this guy but he doesn't drink his share or even talk that much. I work in CA a lot and I've actually had some Smog City stuff.:thumb3:

 

[honda250xtitan]

I like Coors light. can we party?

 

[4Reak Show]

I like Coors light. can we party?

Yes. Yes we certainly can.

 

[00Sebby]

I like Coors light. can we party?

Of course! Though my version of "party" is pretty boring... grilling meats, sitting around the fires, playing with the dog, etc. Despite what's in my beer fridge, I'm not a beer snob. I think everyone should drink what they like. When I'm out in groups and the table orders pitchers of Coors Light, Miller Light, etc. I usually drink my share.:cheers:

 

[Hepar]

Depends on what alcohol your drinking.

I drink 1 glass of wine at my evening dinner. 70yrs old no health problems and NO drugs from the street or doctor . still going pretty good..

I suggest to stay away from hard liqueur .. I used to drink whiskey 100 proof in my younger days , not good for your brain ....

vodka or gin IMO like drinking solvents ..

I think it's also on what your body can process. I'm not a big drinker, but if I do my first choice is a nice sipping tequila with a sh*tty Mexican beer. I can do that with no big ill effects the next day as long as it's a reasonable amount.

But if I have one IPA, I wake up with a wicked hangover. Weird.

 

[Thai]

I think it's also on what your body can process. I'm not a big drinker, but if I do my first choice is a nice sipping tequila with a sh*tty Mexican beer. I can do that with no big ill effects the next day as long as it's a reasonable amount.

But if I have one IPA, I wake up with a wicked hangover. Weird.

Just a reminder...this has nothing to do whether you get buzz with certain alcoholic drinks. It is about DOSE-dependent effect from alcohol itself over the long haul.

“Alcohol's effects were dose-dependent, with negative effects emerging with 7–14 units per week (14 units are equivalent to 4 pints of strong beer or 5 large glasses of wine). Light drinking (1–7 units/week) didn't have a protective effect.”

Everything in life has trade-offs. So, drink responsibly and know your priorities.

 

[97t4r81]

Just a reminder...this has nothing to do whether you get buzz with certain alcoholic drinks. It is about DOSE-dependent effect from alcohol itself over the long haul.

“Alcohol's effects were dose-dependent, with negative effects emerging with 7–14 units per week (14 units are equivalent to 4 pints of strong beer or 5 large glasses of wine). Light drinking (1–7 units/week) didn't have a protective effect.”

Everything in life has trade-offs. So, drink responsibly and know your priorities.

I don’t often agree with your posts, but I see now that you do really care about people and their wellbeing. I love drinking alcoholic drinks and being buzzed. My dad is sick and drinking most his life didn’t help. I’m in the process of stopping now due to the negative health (physical/mental) impacts I see in my crystal ball. The data is compelling. Some can drink easy, no issues. Others have a much more difficult experience and even destructive behavior. Here’s to everyone finding their own balance. Thanks man.

 

[CB3G_GM]

Hopefully the person who was hired to do the data entry for the self assessment questionnaires has been slowing down on those evening boilermakers...

 

[Thai]

I don’t often agree with your posts, but I see now that you do really care about people and their wellbeing. I love drinking alcoholic drinks and being buzzed. My dad is sick and drinking most his life didn’t help. I’m in the process of stopping now due to the negative health (physical/mental) impacts I see in my crystal ball. The data is compelling. Some can drink easy, no issues. Others have a much more difficult experience and even destructive behavior. Here’s to everyone finding their own balance. Thanks man.

No problem. In the past, one can argue that drinking wine is heart healthy. But with recent (and compelling) data from several studies, that argument goes out the door.

The problem is that for people who can “tolerate” alcohol, they don’t see the bad effects until later in life (and thus too late to fix). And at that point, it is not just them suffering, but the people/family around them that must deal with it.

(BTW, all this drinking is what makes for great job security for medical professionals and nursing homes! )

 

[Thai]

But somebody has to drink these. And I'm the only one at my house that likes beer. :cheers:

Same here, we need drinking buddies.

25398306_10213655304029842_2615176764234534531_o by Ramon Flores, on Flickr

You're right! I mean I got this guy but he doesn't drink his share or even talk that much. I work in CA a lot and I've actually had some Smog City stuff.:thumb3:

Coffee?

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/off-topic/249419-finally-good-news-coffee.html#post2884921