Drinking and brain health

The study, published in The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, followed more than 28,000 people over the age of 60 for at least two years. After controlling for age, sex, smoking and other factors, researchers found that compared with abstainers male drinkers reduced their risk for dementia by 45 per cent. Women were 27 per cent less at risk than non-drinkers.

The review included meta-analyses of 15 studies, including 14,646 participants evaluated for Alzheimer disease, 10,225 participants evaluated for vascular dementia and 11,875 followed for any type of dementia.

So what exactly is considered 'moderate drinking'? For the various studies in this analysis, light to moderate drinking was defined as having anywhere from 1 to 28 drinks per week. (By way of comparison, the Mayo Clinic defines light to moderate drinking at a more modest 14 drinks per week for men, and seven drinks for women.)

Alcohol and mental acuity

Accessing the effects of alcohol consumption on mental acuity is complicated by factors such as the type and quality of beverage as well as individual behaviour, researchers say. However, as found in previous studies, it is thought that moderate drinking can increase HDL, or "good cholesterol," improve blood flow to the brain and decrease blood coagulation -- all factors which may reduce the risk for dementia. (See Does drinking slow dementia?)

While results suggest that alcohol drinkers in late life have reduced risk of dementia, researchers caution that more study is needed.