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Heavy alcohol use in lifetime, old age leads to poorer neurocognitive outcomes

Recent findings indicated that while heavy current alcohol consumption was associated with significant neurocognitive impairment among older adults, history of alcohol dependence was associated with lasting negative effects on neurocognitive function, despite current use.

“While the neurocognitive effects of alcohol consumption appear to depend on the amount of alcohol consumed, the duration of use, and various other clinical factors, including age and comorbid neurological conditions, not all studies agree,” Adam J. Woods, PhD, of the Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, Institute on Aging, and colleagues wrote. “These contrasting results demonstrate the need for further study of the influence of advanced age on possible heavy alcohol consumption effects on neurocognitive function. Further still, even less is known about the impact of advanced age on possible alcohol related neurocognitive deficits.”

To determine associations between older age, current heavy alcohol consumption and neurocognitive function, researchers evaluated 21 heavy drinkers and 45 moderate drinkers. Alcohol consumption was classified using NIAAA criteria. Study participants completed a comprehensive neurocognitive battery.

Heavy current alcohol consumption was associated with poorer global cognitive function, leaning, memory and motor function among older adults (P < .05 for all).

Lifetime history of alcohol dependence was associated with poorer function in the same neurocognitive domains, as well as the attention/executive domain, regardless of age (P < .05 for all).

“The results of this study indicate an interaction between quantity of current alcohol consumption and age with respect to global cognitive performance, as well as performance in the cognitive domains of learning, memory, and motor function,” the researchers wrote. “Current heavy drinkers who, by definition, consumed more alcohol on a weekly basis than the NIAAA threshold for ‘high-risk’ drinking, exhibited greater cognitive deficits as a function of age compared to younger current heavy drinkers, and compared to adults who were current non-heavy drinkers or abstainers.” – by Amanda Oldt

Disclosure: The research was supported in part by the NIAAA P01AA019072, P30 AG028740, 407 KL2TR001429, the McKnight Brain Research Foundation, and the UF Center for Cognitive 408 Aging and Memory.