Alcohol use and the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Alcohol Research and Health

Some of the detrimental effects of heavy alcohol use on brain function are similar to those observed with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Although alcohol use may be a risk factor for AD, it is difficult to study this relationship because of similarities between alcoholic dementia and AD and because standard diagnostic criteria for alcoholic dementia have not yet been developed. Similar biological mechanisms may be involved in the effects of AD and alcohol abuse on the brain. Epidemiologic studies have investigated the relationship between alcohol use and AD but have not provided strong evidence to suggest that alcohol use influences the risk of developing AD. Further research is needed before the effect of alcohol use on AD is understood fully. KEY WORDS: Alzheimer’s disease; chronic AODE (effects of alcohol or other drugs); AODR (alcohol or other drug-related) dementia; risk factors; cognitive and memory disorder; cholinergic receptors; drug interaction; alcoholic beverage; nicotine; diagnostic criteria; disease course; survey of research Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a degenerative brain disorder characterized by a progressive loss of memory and other detrimental cognitive changes as well as lowered life expectancy (Morris 1999). It is the leading cause of dementi