Binge-drinking may lead to dementia

Binge drinking is already associated with a variety of health issues including liver disease, birth defects, poor decision-making skills, increased long-term risk for heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.

In a recent international survey, it has been found that heavy drinking may cause one in four cases of dementia, which is chronic, usually progressive deterioration of intellectual functions.

Study details
Dr Jane Marshall, a consultant psychiatrist at the Maudsley Hospital in Denmark Hill, south London, and one of the authors of the report, said the findings should come as a wake-up call to those who think dementia affects only older people.

Jane said: "People think that dementia is something that happens to people over 65. But a lot of those under 65 have got cognitive problems and a large proportion of the problems in that group are related to alcohol.”

The researchers say alcohol's impact on brain health may be much wider than previously thought. According to them, between 10 and 24 percent of the 700,000 cases of dementia in the United Kingdom could be linked to alcohol-related brain damage.

"Alcohol-related brain damage may account for 10 to 24 per cent of all cases of all forms of dementia. We know that alcohol is associated with serious cognitive impairment. It reduces memory and general cognition," Jane added.

The team of researchers, who reported their findings in the journal Alcohol and Alcoholism, has further revealed that women are particularly at risk of developing this mental disorder because they are more vulnerable to alcohol's brain-wasting effects due to their ability to metabolizing alcohol differently.

“Women metabolise alcohol in a different way and alcohol seems to have more toxic effects on the brain and also on the body,” said Dr Irene Guerrini, fellow researcher from the Maudsley. “If a woman drinks the same amount as a man, she will develop complications earlier, and they will be more severe.”

Description of dementia
Dementia is a term used to describe the symptoms that occur when the brain is affected by specific diseases and conditions, including Alzheimer's disease, stroke and many other rarer conditions. Symptoms of dementia include loss of memory, confusion and problems with speech and understanding.

It is a decline in cognitive function or mental ability – thinking, reasoning and remembering. People with dementia have difficulty independently carrying out daily tasks they have performed routinely throughout their lives.

Psychiatrists fear the trend of binge drinking could have serious mental health consequences in the next generation, with heavy drinkers experiencing serious memory problems in their 40s.