Although alcoholism is not good for health, light alcohol drinking in later life might improve episodic memory, a recent study published in the American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias suggested. Light alcoholics who are over 60 years of age might be able to recall memories of events better than non-alcoholic peers, the study reported.
Researchers examined medical records of over 660 patients who registered themselves at Framingham Heart Study Offspring Cohort. The possible association between midlife and late-life alcoholism, cognitive functioning and regional brain volume was assessed in adults without history of memory problems (dementia) and history of alcohol abuse. The study subjects were inquired about memory skills and alcohol habits by questionnaire survey. All the volunteers underwent various neuropsychological assessments and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease.
When compared to midlife, light and moderate alcoholics, higher episodic memory was observed in older individuals with light and moderate alcohol consumption habits. The latter group was presented with larger volume of hippocampus (a brain region) and recalled memories, even better than the former group. Hippocampus is vital for memory and cognition. Additionally, no significant adverse effects were observed on overall mental ability among light alcoholics.
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