Alcohol Use and Dementia You may view drinking alcohol as a common practice at the end of a stressful day, a gathering with friends, at sporting events or celebrations. You may also know that consuming alcohol has immediate effects on the brain, but did you know it also has negative long-term effects? Alcohol use, even moderate use, can increase your risk for poor brain health as you age, and excessive alcohol use may lead to developing dementia. Though you may not see the impacts of dementia during your military service, you can still take steps to protect your brain health today! What Is Dementia? Dementia is a general term for loss of memory, language, problem-solving and critical thinking skills that interferes with daily life. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia – 60-80% of all dementia cases are due to Alzheimer’s. Dementia also impacts a person’s ability to understand and manage feelings, behaviors and relationships. Dementia is caused by damaged brain cells, which interferes with necessary communication between them. The brain has many regions, each with different functions such as memory, judgment and movement. When cells in a region are damaged, the region can’t perform its functions normally. Symptoms are progressive, so they worsen over time. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) occurs before progressing into dementia. There are typically some tell-tale signs to the initial stages of MCI: Short-term memory issues Trouble keeping track of personal items (e.g., wallet and keys) Not remembering to pay bills or attend appointments on time Issues planning and preparing meals Problems traveling outside of the neighborhood or familiar areas Drinking and The Brain Drinking can damage many functions of the brain, including memory, decision-making, impulse control, attention and sleep regulation. You may see these effects during a single drinking occasion, though these can also be experienced while sober after long-term alcohol use. Over time, consuming alcohol can reduce white matter in the brain, which is essential for processing and retaining information. It’s been found that infrequent drinking, even if it’s a heavy drinking event, has less impact on brain health than consistent low or moderate alcohol use over time – brain shrinkage occurs in proportion to alcohol consumed over time. The Connection Between Alcohol Use and Dementia Heavy drinking is linked to an increased risk of developing dementia. Moderate drinking is associated with smaller brain volume and multiple health conditions that may increase dementia risk. It’s important to note that age and genetics have the biggest impact on developing dementia. If you have a family history of dementia and you are over 65, your risk significantly increases. Consuming alcohol reduces the amount of healthy brain cells, which increases your risk of dementia, especially when combined with age and genetics. Over time, heavy drinking can increase your risk of Alzheimer’s by 300%. If you consume alcohol, it’s important you are aware of other conditions that may cause brain or brain cell damage, thereby increasing your risk of dementia. If you or a family member experience these conditions, be cautious of alcohol consumption and its impact on your brain health: Huntington’s disease Parkinson’s disease Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease Stroke Traumatic brain injury Brain tumor Reducing Alcohol Use Maintaining operational readiness is essential to keeping you, those around you and your country safe. Heavy drinking poses many health and safety risks both on and off duty. Remember, drinking on duty is prohibited and could result in dishonorable discharge. Even showing up hungover poses health and safety concerns. To maintain readiness, consider reducing your alcohol use. For example, limit drinking to special occasions or set a maximum of one or two drinks. If you notice an unhealthy relationship with alcohol, speak to command leadership, chaplain or health care provider about getting help. Additional ResourcesMilitary OneSource - “Military OneSource”Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. - “Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.”ReferencesAlzheimer’s Association - “What Is Dementia?”Harvard Health - “This is your brain on alcohol”Mayo Clinic - “Alzheimer’s disease”Medscape - “MCI, Heavy Drinking a Hazardous Cocktail?”National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism - “Alcohol’s Effects on Health”
