India, April 11 -- A new study, published in the journal Neurology, has found that heavy alcohol consumption is linked to a greater risk of a specific type of brain damage tied to memory and cognitive decline.
Researchers analyzed brain autopsies from 1,781 individuals who died at an average age of 75. In addition to examining brain tissue for signs of damage including hyaline arteriolosclerosis (a lesion associated with memory issues) and tau tangles (linked to Alzheimer's disease), they also gathered information from family members about the participants' alcohol use.
Participants were divided into four groups - 965 who never drank, 319 moderate drinkers (seven or fewer drinks per week), 129 heavy drinkers (eight or more drinks per week...