Alcohol-related dementia: a 21st-century silent epidemic?
Open accessAbstract
Summary: Evidence suggests a J-shaped relationship between alcohol consumption and cognitive impairment and other health indicators, with low levels of consumption having better outcomes than abstention or moderate to heavy drinking. Most research to date has focused on the protective effects of drinking small amounts of alcohol. As alcohol consumption is escalating rapidly in many countries, the current cohort of young and middle-aged people may face an upsurge of alcohol-related dementia. The dangers of heavy drinking and its effect on cognition require further attention.
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Several subtypes of dementia are clearly related detrimentally and causally to heavy drinking.
“Several subtypes of dementia are clearly related detrimentally and causally to heavy drinking 206, and the most comprehensive review exhibited a J‐ or U‐shaped relationship between the intensity of alcohol use and the direction of the effect 207.”
From The relationship between different dimensions of alcohol use and the burden of disease—an update (2017) · cites this paper as [206]
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- Authors
- Gupta, S., & Warner, J.
- Affiliations
- Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Gupta, Susham
- ORCID
- Gupta, Susham
- Venue
- British Journal of Psychiatry
- Publisher
- Royal College of Psychiatrists
- Published
- 2008-11
- Volume
- 193
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 351-353
- ISSN
- 0007-1250 (ISSN-L)
- 1472-1465
- OpenAlex
- W2064224597
- Cited by
- 205
- References
- 20
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 43 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 28 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 19 · 2013: 12 · 2012: 9
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- The British Journal of Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Neurology › Alcoholism and Thiamine Deficiency
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pathology and Forensic Medicine › Alcohol Consumption and Health Effects
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
- Keywords
- alcohol-related dementia, alcohol consumption, cognitive impairment, J-shaped relationship, heavy drinking, young and middle-aged adults
- MeSH terms
- Alcohol Drinking, Brain, Dementia, Humans, Alcohol-Related Disorders
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