Intended for healthcare professionals

Research News

Moderate drinking is linked to decline in brain health, study finds

BMJ 2017; 357 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.j2751 (Published 07 June 2017) Cite this as: BMJ 2017;357:j2751
  1. Zosia Kmietowicz
  1. The BMJ

Alcohol consumption, even at moderate levels, is associated with increased risk of adverse brain outcomes and a steeper decline in cognitive skills, a study published in The BMJ has found.1

The authors said that these results support recent reductions in recommended alcohol limits in the UK to no more than 14 units of alcohol a week for men and women,2 adding that they raise questions about the current US limits.

Heavy drinking is known to be associated with poor brain health, but few studies have examined the effects of moderate drinking on the brain, and results are inconsistent.

To investigate the association between alcohol consumption and the brain’s structure and function, researchers from …

View Full Text

Log in

Log in through your institution

Subscribe

* For online subscription