Even Moderate Alcohol Consumption Is Associated with Adverse Effects on the Brain

Evidence on the effects of light or moderate alcohol consumption on brain structure and function is mixed. In this U.K. study, researchers evaluated the relation between alcohol consumption and brain outcomes in 550 adults (mean age, 43) whose weekly alcohol use and cognitive function were evaluated at baseline and periodically from 1985 through 2015; brain magnetic resonance imaging was performed at the end of the study. Alcohol consumption was measured in “units,” defined as 8 g of alcohol per unit; in the U.S., a typical 12-ounce beer or 5-ounce glass of wine contains 14 g of alcohol (thus, nearly 2 units as defined here). No participants were alcohol dependent at baseline, and alcohol consumption was stable throughout the study.

During 3…