Middle-aged men who drink more than 36 grams of alcohol (2.5 drinks) per day are more likely to experience an accelerated decline in all cognitive abilities, especially memory, over a 10-year period.

The link for women is less clear, although women who consume more than 19 grams per day are also at risk of losing some cognitive skills more quickly..

This is reported by Dr. Severine Sabia from the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at University College London..

" In the United States, a standard drink is 0.6 fluid ounces, which is about 14 grams of pure alcohol..

Unlike other studies examining the effects of alcohol on intelligence, the current work included only middle-aged individuals.. Dr. Sabia writes: " In previous studies, the effect of drinking alcohol was difficult to assess due to the small number of participants who drink regularly..

Whitehall II study.

Researchers analyzed data from 7,153 participants from the Whitehall II study, which looked at drinking habits among British civil servants.. The study started in 1985-1988, 67% of the cohort were men.

The researchers divided the participants into categories based on alcohol consumption.. The comparison group for men included those who consumed from 0.1 to 19.9 grams of pure alcohol per day, and the comparison group for women - from 0.1 to 9. 9 grams per day.

Cognitive assessment included 4 tests (verbal short-term memory test and 3 problem solving tests). It began to be carried out from 1997-1999, when the study participants reached the age of 44 to 69 years.. The tests were repeated regularly over the next ten years..

The study showed that men who consumed more than 36 grams of pure alcohol per day showed a more marked decrease in all cognitive indicators than their light and non-drinking peers (from 0.1 to 19.9 grams per day).

The overall difference in the rate of decline in intelligence was -0.10 (95% CI -0.16 to -0.04; P\u003c0.005). The difference in problem solving was -0.06 (95% CI -0.12 to 0.12; P\u003c0.05), and in tests for short-term memory -0.16 (95% CI from -0.

26 to -0.05; P\u003c0.005).

This effect is commensurate with an additional 2.4 years of " Dr Sabia says: "

For example, a 55-year-old man who consumes 36 grams of alcohol a day will have the memory of a 61-year-old man."

According to scientists, there was no clear difference between the influence of different drinks (wine, beer) on intelligence.. Presumably, the negative effect is determined only by the amount of alcohol.

medbe. en.