A study of more than 20,000 Britons found that 5-7 cans of beer a week is enough to...
New study looks into the effects of alcoholon the brain. Following on from previous studies that linked alcohol use to early onset dementia, this study set out to understand exactly how alcohol can contribute to cognitive decline.
The hypothesis that served as the basis for the study,arose from research linking high levels of iron in the brain to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Previously, abnormal accumulations of iron in the brain have been found in the brains of people who abuse alcohol.
Data from more than 20,000 were analyzedpeople registered in the UK Biobank. The study recorded cognitive scores that showed "slower executive function, lower intelligence, and slower reaction times." may be associated with high iron levels in the basal ganglia.
"We found that consuming more than sevenunits of alcohol per week is associated with iron accumulation in the brain, – said the authors of the work. “High iron levels in the brain are, in turn, associated with poorer cognitive performance.”
One unit of alcohol is defined here as 10milliliters of pure alcohol. A large glass of wine, for example, can contain two to three units of alcohol, while a typical can of beer can contain 1.5 to two units of alcohol.