Moderate Alcohol Consumption Linked To Brain Shrinkage

[Township75]

A study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and other institutions found a link between low to moderate alcohol consumption and a decrease in the brain size of middle-aged adults. Brain atrophy is associated with impaired cognition and motor functions. The researchers also found that low or moderate consumption did not reduce the risk of stroke, which contradicts the findings of some previous studies. The study is published in the rapid access edition of Stroke: The Journal of the American Heart Association.

SNIP

The researchers found as alcohol consumption increased, the MRI detected increases in the ventricular and sulcal areas of the brain, which are spaces that do not contain brain tissue and an indication of brain atrophy. However, they found no consistent association between alcohol intake and the presence of infarctions or white matter lesions. Former drinkers and moderate drinkers were more likely to have infarctions compared to those who never drank without adjusting for other factors. After adjusting for factors such as smoking habits, body mass and income, the researchers found no reduction or protection in infarction associated with former drinkers or moderate drinkers. In addition, they did not find an association between alcohol intake and white matter lesions.

"Because MRI measures in the brain were only conducted once during follow up, a causal relationship between alcohol intake and brain atrophy is difficult to establish," explained Dr. Ding. "The strength of the study lies in the large population-based sample and the consistency of the findings by gender and race."


Go here for the full story:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/12/031205052952.htm

[bacchant]

1. I'm screwed

Cheers!:party:

[Don_G]

2. Good For The Heart, Bad For The Mind

:evilfrown:

[curse10]

3. Shit- I'm all about moderate alcohol consumption!

:-(

[burythehatchet]

4. Where were you yesterday

I could have used that information BEFORE last night...Although my brain doesn't feel like its shrinking - its leaking out of my ears

[Township75]

12. Sorry, bro....I guess I wasn't paying attention*

*

[aquaman]

5. Damn,

I guess I better drink more so it won't be in moderation.

[Susang]

6. Check out the thread about XNASA's Christmas party

There are a lot of shrunken brains in those pictures!

[midnight armadillo]

7. Plato asked...

...if the unexamined life is worth living.

I ask: is the beer-free life worth living? I don't think so! :beer: :toast: :beer: :toast: :beer:

What with all the environmental toxins we're exposed to, air pollution, stress, noise, etc., what's a little brain shrinkage gonna do to you?

[peekaloo]

8. I feel a song coming on.......

Immanuel Kant was a real pissant
Who was very rarely stable.

Heidegger, Heidegger was a boozy beggar
Who could think you under the table.

David Hume could out-consume
Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel,

And Wittgenstein was a beery swine
Who was just as schloshed as Schlegel.

There's nothing Nietzche couldn't teach ya
'Bout the raising of the wrist.
Socrates, himself, was permanently pissed.

John Stuart Mill, of his own free will,
On half a pint of shandy was particularly ill.

Plato, they say, could stick it away--
Half a crate of whisky every day.

Aristotle, Aristotle was a bugger for the bottle.
Hobbes was fond of his dram,

And René Descartes was a drunken fart.
'I drink, therefore I am.'

Yes, Socrates, himself, is particularly missed,
A lovely little thinker,
But a bugger when he's pissed.

lyrics by Eric Idle/Monty Python

[BringEmOn]

9. Few brain cells to spare

[Ernesto]

10. Wow! Maybe that's why my hat size keep's getting smaller!

[sleipnir]

11. Thank God it doesn't say anything about Excessive Consumption, I'm safe!!!

[HuckleB]

13. It's one study.

It contradicts some other information. Bottom line: Science don't know yet.

[Endangered Specie]

14. Why am I thinking about W* after reading this?

hehe

[Nikia]

15. More of a reason for me to stick to pot

I only drink a couple times per year since leaving college. Only a couple of my total drinking experiences has been positive with most being very negative (emotionally and/or physically). Only a couple of my pot smoking experiences have been negative, which were always coupled with other factors leading to the negativity (already sick or depressed/anxious). Most of my pot smoking experiences have been positive.

[Cheswick2.0]

16. Honey I shrank my brain

in the late 70s and the 80s. I shrunk my brain but my head is still to large.

[IronLionZion]

17. I guess we should just go for binge consumption!

just kidding!

:toast: cheers!

[Guaranteed]

18. Yeah, I hear ya.

I've been saying for years that I'm not as sharp as I used to be. :(

[corarose]

19. Is that why Dumbya is so Stupid?

Did they relate that to just beer?