Drinking alcohol could boost your memory

Light alcohol consumption by people over the age of 60 could enhance their abilities to remember events, a new study has found.

Light alcohol consumption in later life could improve memory abilities, new research shows

Brian Downer of the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston headed the study conducted by researchers from UTMB, the University of Kentucky and the University of Maryland.

The findings were published in the American Journal of Alzeimer’s Disease and Other Dementias.

Data from more than 660 patients who were part of the Framingham Heart Study Offspring Cohort was analysed to determine the link between midlife and late-life alcohol consumption, cognitive functioning and regional brain volumes in older adults without dementia or a background of alcohol abuse.

The findings revealed that light and moderate alcohol consumption in older people was linked to the ability to recall memories of events better.

Furthermore, the results showed alcohol had no significant impact on executive function or overall mental ability.

“There were no significant differences in cognitive functioning and regional brain volumes during late life according to reported midlife alcohol consumption status,” said Downer.

“This may be due to the fact that adults who are able to continue consuming alcohol into old age are healthier, and therefore have higher cognition and larger regional brain volumes, than people who had to decrease their alcohol consumption due to unfavourable health outcomes.”

However, the scientists warned long periods of alcohol abuse – defined as consuming more than five alcoholic drinks in one sitting – is harmful to the brain.