Drinking too much can lead to memory loss in later life. [s]The Guardian[/s] reports that scientists questioned 6,542 middle-aged Americans about their past alcohol consumption and assessed their mental abilities over a period of 19 years. They found that a history of problem drinking more than doubled the risk of developing severe memory impairment. Dr Eric Karran, of Alzheimer's Research UK, said: ‘One strength of this study is its long time period: as dementia develops slowly over a number of years it's crucial to understand what factors could affect our risk of the condition earlier in life.’ He cautioned that ‘it's important to note that these studies are not able to show cause and effect’.
[link url=http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/jul/30/problem-drinking-lead-to-memory-loss-later-life]Full report in The Guardian[/link]
[link url=http://www.ajgponline.org/article/S1064-7481(14)00167-5/abstract]American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry abstract[/link]