1. Is the freedom from Cognitive Impairment really at hand?
An investigation between alcohol consumption and cognitive change
Dorina Cadar, Dr Gita Mishra & Dr Marcus Richards
UCL-MRC Lifelong Health and Ageing
PhD Project
Epidemiology and Public Health
Results
0.+
2.5 +
3.5
10+
Figure 1
Conclusions
Background 1
Patterns of drinking were similar over different regions in UK.
Binge drinking (more than 10 units/ day) represents 2% of consumption in Scotland, North England & South East England and 1% in Wales and Midlands
The percentages of non-drinkers were larger in every region-Figure 1.
Units per day
It is estimated that more than
1.7 million people will be affected by dementia by 2051
Cognitive decline represents one of the first signs of dementia with a conversion rate average of 10% per year.
1 in 8 people over 65 experience cognitive decline, adding severe emotional, financial and logistical strains on the individual, its family and entire society.
There was
a similar rate of cognitive
decline in both memory and psychomotor
function, in middle life.
There was no significant relationship between the overall alcohol consumption at age 36 and 43 with cognitive decline between 43 to 53 years.
However, detailed examinations of the effect of alcohol beverages on cognitive function revealed a significant increase of cognitive scores with wine, sherry and spirits, and a significant decrease in both verbal memory and psychomotor function associated with beer.
These effects were attenuated when
education or social class were
taken into account.
The rate of cognitive decline varies with social class and level of drinking. Higher rate of cognitive decline correspond to heavy/ binge drinkers and non drinkers in manual
occupation comparative to those
in non-manual occupations- Figure 2.
Figure 2
-.15
-.1
-.05
Mean of cognitive decline
Manual
Non-manual
Binge drinkers
Heavy drinkers
Moderate drinkers
Light drinkers
Non-drinkers
Figure 3
Wine, sherry and spirits drinkers experienced an increase in verbal memory, while beer drinkers a decrease.
Verbal memory in middle life
by alcohol consumption at age 36
25.5 25
Aim
To investigate the
effect of alcohol consumption
during adult life on cognitive decline
in middle life 24
23.5
Light and moderate drinkers (0-3.5 units/day) scored higher in verbal memory at both 43 and 53 compared to heavy drinkers (3.5u+) and non-drinkers- Figure 3. 23 40 45 50 55
Age
Non drinkers
Light drinkers
Moderate drinkers
Heavy drinkers
Methods & Materials
Outcomes:
Cognitive tests
At 43 & 53 years were repeated measures of verbal memory and psychomotor function.
Verbal memory was assessed by a 15 item word learning task
Speed and concentration was measured with a timed visual search task
Exposures:
At 36 & 43 years information on types of alcohol beverage consumed were collected from the 5 days diet diaries
The measures were transformed in units equivalent of 8g of alcohol and daily averages of drinks in units was considered in this analysis
Confounders:
Educational attainment by 26 years; current social class, general cognitive ability at age 8
Design
A Birth Cohort study
Participants
A nationally representative sample of 5362 participants from the 1946 Birth Cohort Study also known as Medical Research Council -National Survey of Health and Development (MRC -NSHD)
Method
A rich amount of health cognitive, social and psychological function data were repeatedly obtained by interviews, clinical examinations and postal questionnaires
Statistics
Multiple regression analyses with change in cognitive function as outcome and alcohol intake at age 36 and 43 as exposure variables. Analyses were adjusted for sex and confounders.
Contact: Dorina Cadar