A just-published study drawing from multimodal imaging data on a large sample size—nearly 37,000 adults—concluded significant losses of both gray and white brain matter are attributable to light-to-moderate alcohol intake.[1]
Prior to this study, decades of research on alcohol consumption has demonstrated heavy drinking and alcoholism are leading contributors to worldwide disease and deaths, as well as heightened healthcare and economic costs. The World Health Organization (WHO) cites alcohol use disorder (AUD) and chronic heavy alcohol consumption as among the most prevalent mental health disorders globally[2], associated with numerous damaging physical, mental and social effects, including, but not limited to, cardiovascular disease, cancer, nutritional deficiency and accelerated aging.[3]
Further, chronic alcohol consumption has been linked to brain atrophy, neuronal loss and poorer white matter fiber integrity.[4]
A study by Daviet, et al. in the British journal Nature Communications (March 4, 2022) sought to find associations between alcohol intake and affects on brain volume and structure using the UK’s Biobank multimodal imaging data from 36,678 generally healthy middle-aged and older men and women. What they discovered were correlations between alcohol consumption and brain macrostructure and microstructure.
Per their research, the following were negatively linked with alcohol intake:
- global brain volume measures;
- regional gray matter volumes; and,
- white matter microstructure.
The most significant finding was the harmful links between alcohol consumption and brain volume and structure “are already apparent in individuals consuming an average of only one to two daily alcohol units (where one unit = 0.34 fl. oz. of ethanol), and become stronger as alcohol intake increases.”[5]
Based on an analysis of the population sample, the researchers observed negative associations between alcohol intake and global gray and white matter measures, regional gray matter volumes, and white matter microstructure indices. It should be noted “these associations were widespread across the brain, and their magnitude increases with the average absolute number of daily alcohol units consumed.”[6]
Again, the point is that light-to-moderate alcohol intake is producing these negative brain effects. Past research has already verified chronic alcohol use (a.k.a., heavy consumption) is linked to harmful changes in brain structure and connectivity.[7] But this latest study’s neuroimaging data has demonstrated even lesser alcohol consumption (1-2 drinks for women and 1-3 drinks for men on any day) is associated with widespread patterns of brain volume decrease and deterioration.
Health organizations, leaders in related medical fields, addiction treatment centers and physicians worldwide should take note and responsibly communicate this information and caution all patients and citizens of the potential harm brought on by even light-to-moderate alcohol consumption.
[1] Daviet, Remi, et al. “Associations between alcohol consumption and gray and white matter volumes in the UK Biobank.” Nature Communications. March 4, 2022.
[2] World Health Organization. “Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health 2018.” World Health Organization. 2018.
[3] Zahr, N. M. & Pfefferbaum, A. “Alcohol’s effects on the brain: Neuroimaging results in humans and animal models.” Alcohol Research. 2018; Rehm, J., Shield, K. D. & Weiderpass, E. “Alcohol consumption. A leading risk factor for cancer.” Chem. Biol. Interact. 2020; Zahr, N. M., et al. “Concomitants of alcoholism: Differential effects of thiamine deficiency, liver damage, and food deprivation on the rat brain in vivo.” Psychopharmacology. 2016; Robinson, O. et al. “Determinants of accelerated metabolomic and epigenetic aging in a UK cohort.” Aging Cell.2020.
[4] Ibid; de la Monte, S. M. & Kril, J. J. “Human alcohol-related neuropathology.” Acta Neuropathol. 2014.
[5] Daviet, Remi, et al. “Associations between alcohol consumption and gray and white matter volumes in the UK Biobank.” Nature Communications. March 4, 2022.
[6] Ibid.
[7] Sullivan, E. V. & Pfefferbaum, A. “Brain-behavior relations and effects of aging and common comorbidities in alcohol use disorder: A review.” Neuropsychology. 2019.; de la Monte, S. M. & Kril, J. J. “Human alcohol-related neuropathology.” Acta Neuropathol. 2014.
