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Light Drinkers Run Less Risk of Dementia
By Adele Horin, The Sydney Morning Herald
June 4, 2009
Australia
Men and women who are "light to moderate" drinkers in later life have less risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia than non-drinkers, a review of international studies shows.
The cheering news, to be presented at the Alzheimer's Australia conference this week, shows light to moderate drinkers are 28 per cent less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease and 25 per cent less likely to develop vascular dementia than non-drinkers.
Kaarin Anstey, the director of the Ageing Research Unit at the Australian National University, and author of the study, said it was unclear why some alcohol consumption in later life reduced the risk of developing dementia. "We know light to moderate alcohol consumption is associated with reduced cardiovascular disease, and there's a strong link between cardiovascular disease and dementia," she said.
As well, modest alcohol consumption might reflect a life of social engagement and social networks which could also be protective against cognitive decline, she said.
The review is based on 15 high-quality studies that followed in total more than 14,000 adults over two to eight years for signs of a relationship between alcohol consumption and Alzheimer's disease. More than 10,000 people were followed up to see if they developed vascular dementia.
"I don't want elderly people to take up drinking but the studies are showing the drinkers are doing better, with a greatly reduced risk of dementia," Professor Anstey said.
Between 20 and 30 per cent of those aged 80 and over had dementia, so identifying lifestyle factors that affected risk was important, she said. For women, light to moderate drinking ranged from one to 14 drinks a week and for men from one to 24.
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