Men who drink heavily in their middle age speed up their rate of memory loss, a study has shown.
Those consuming more than 36g of alcohol per day — equivalent to a pint and a half of medium-strength beer — experience noticeable declines in memory and problem-solving skills up to six years earlier than light or moderate drinkers, scientists have found.
No differences in memory and executive function, which includes reasoning, planning and problem-solving, were seen between non-drinkers, former drinkers, and light or moderate drinkers.
The study involved 7,153 civil servants in London, including more than 5,000 men, whose drinking habits were assessed three times over a period of 10 years.
Severine Sabia, from the department of epidemiology and public health at University College London, who led the research reported in the journal Neurology, said: “Much of the research evidence about drinking and a relationship to memory and executive function is based on older populations.
“Our study focused on middle-aged participants and suggests that heavy drinking is associated with faster decline in all areas of cognitive function in men.”
Source: John von Radowitz, Irish Examiner, 16/01/14
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