Drinking alcohol, even in moderate amounts, may increase the risk for early Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia-related disorders, according to new research.
Scientists from the Wake Forest University School of Medicine conducted a study of mice to examine the effects of chronic alcohol exposure on the brain. The study was published in the February issue of Neurobiology of Disease.
In the study, mice in one group received access to alcohol and water to mimic human consumption of alcohol, and researchers studied their alcohol intake over a 10-week period. A separate control group of mice were only given water.
Researchers found the mice who consumed alcohol exhibited accelerated brain atrophy and an increased number of amyloid plaques, which are toxic proteins commonly found in Alzheimer’s disease patients.
“These findings suggest alcohol might accelerate the pathological cascade of Alzheimer’s disease in its early stages,” Shannon Macauley, PhD, associate professor of physiology and pharmacology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, said in a news release.
The researchers also observed changes in metabolism, eating and sleep patterns in the mice who consumed alcohol.
“Although further studies are needed, these findings suggest that chronic ethanol drinking exacerbates disruptions in metabolism and sleep that are frequently observed in Alzheimer’s disease,” the authors wrote.
The study further found that even moderate alcohol use caused anxiety and dementia-related behaviors.
“These preclinical findings suggest that even moderate consumption of alcohol can result in brain injury,” Macauley said in the release. “Alcohol consumption may be a modifiable risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.”
The study was funded by grants from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institute on Aging, BrightFocus Foundation, and the Averill Foundation.
