According to statistics published by the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 55 million people worldwide suffered from dementia in 2019, which is estimated to more than double in 2050 [8]. Dementia is the cause of 2.4 million deaths and 28.8 million disability-adjusted https://ecosoberhouse.com/ life years (DALYs) in 2016 and is known as the third cause of neurological DALYs [3, 9]. Two caregivers in our sample, 34-year-old Soledad and 57-year-old Maria, a mother and daughter pair, had several family members working in the medical system in both the U.S. and Mexico.
I tried the new blood test for prostate cancer – here’s what you need to know
- Therefore, it is recommended that more researchers investigate the impact of exposure to different pollutants in diverse populations on FTD, to cover this important gap.
- Each combined multiple research studies to reach a consensus on alcohol consumption and the development of dementia.
- “Physical inactivity can lead to poor cardiovascular health, obesity and increased risk of diabetes and high blood pressure,” which are all dementia risk factors, explains Prof Thuret.
- On the other hand, there is no rationale either, to recommend cutting down on alcohol consumption to reduce dementia risk if consumption is moderate (disregarding other risks of alcohol consumption).
- Regularly drinking too much alcohol damages blood vessels in a person’s brain and can lead to high blood pressure.
- These often occur if treatment for Wernicke encephalopathy does not work.
Older people are also more vulnerable to injuries from falls due to changes in eyesight, spatial recognition, and bone health. Alcohol use can increase their risks for falls, as it can affect judgement and perception. In addition to these considerations, older people also tend to take more medications than younger people. These medications can potentially interact with alcohol, which can worsen symptoms.
- Subgroup analysis using information from a third examination showed consistent findings regarding a subsequent change in drinking level, supporting the robustness of our results.
- Instead, it could be that the reasons a person became isolated – such as poor health – are to blame.
- Cognitive function also diminishes with age [5] and therefore, elderly people are disproportionately affected by cognitive disorders and, finally, dementia [6, 7] which imposes a significant burden on health care systems.
- The most common part that is injured is called the mammillary bodies, which is important for memory processing — people with this [injury] can have a lot of difficulty with short-term memory loss.
- It can be difficult to get an assessment, as some GPs will insist that the person has stopped drinking for several weeks before they can assess the person’s memory.
- In the second step, the relationship between the type and concentration of each pollutant in dementia was investigated.
Alcohol withdrawal timeline
- You may also choose to share your diagnosis with supportive family and friends—you don’t have to navigate your condition alone.
- If a person regularly drinks too much alcohol it can be toxic to their nerve cells.
- Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome can occur due to other conditions, but misuse of alcohol is a common underlying factor for its development due to long-term vitamin deficiency.
If you suspect you have this condition, reach out to a healthcare professional as soon as possible to discuss treatment options. The sooner you treat alcohol-related dementia, the better your chances of recovery. Depending on your symptoms, you might also undergo a brain scan to rule out other concerns, like can drinking cause dementia a stroke or tumor, or brain bleeding caused by physical trauma. You may also get a brain scan to rule out other potential conditions, like stroke, tumor, or a brain bleed caused by physical trauma. They’ll likely start by doing a physical exam and asking about your physical and psychological symptoms.
Neuropathology and Neuro-Imaging Studies
- Depending on whether you’re a light or heavy drinker, your strategy around cutting back will be different.
- Dementia is an umbrella term for a variety of conditions that affect a person’s processing skills and memory.
- If a person regularly drinks too much alcohol, they also have a higher risk of repeated head injuries.
- MMSE and MoCA are among the most important reliable screening tools that are widely used for clinical and research purposes [76, 77].
- Jihan Myers is an award-winning journalist and editor who has covered women’s health for more than 17 years for digital brands and publications including Good Housekeeping, O, The Oprah Magazine, Prevention, and Marie Claire, among others.
Scientists have uncovered certain factors that increase the risk of developing dementia. However, it is possible to avoid other potential risk factors, such as smoking tobacco. Staying alcohol-free can be particularly challenging if the person is homeless or isolated from their family due to drinking too much, or if they have poor physical or mental health.
What is Alcohol-related ‘dementia’?
Effects of excessive alcohol consumption
