The #1 preventable risk for early onset dementia…

Saturday, October 21, 2023

What is early onset dementia?

Early-onset dementia refers to the condition where individuals develop dementia symptoms before the age of 65.

Recent research has revealed that alcohol is the largest avoidable risk factor for early onset dementia.

• These findings were based on a study conducted in France with over 1 million people diagnosed with dementia. The study specifically focused on the impact of alcohol on early-onset dementia.

  
  The results were striking, showing that 57% of the 57,000 cases of early-onset dementia in the sample were associated with chronic heavy drinking.

• Heavy drinking was defined as consuming an average of 4-5 standard US drinks per day for men or 3 standard US drinks for women.

• To put this into a very specific perspective, it's akin to consuming close to a bottle of wine per day for men or over half a bottle per day for women.

  While this study primarily looked at heavy drinking, there is evidence suggesting that even moderate alcohol intake poses risks to brain health.

• Dr. Jürgen Rehm, one of the study's co-authors, emphasized that heavy drinking and alcohol use disorders are the most significant risk factors for dementia, particularly for types that manifest before age 65 and contribute to premature deaths.

  
  The study highlights the preventability of alcohol-induced brain damage and dementia.

• Dr. Rehm stressed the need for effective preventive measures and policies to reduce premature dementia deaths. Alcohol use disorders are believed to shorten life expectancy by an average of 20 years.

  Additionally, it is important to note that this study only included the most severe cases of alcohol-related dementia, suggesting that the link between heavy drinking and dementia might be even stronger.

  
  Dr. Bruce Pollock, another co-author of the study, emphasized the urgency of early intervention and treatment for alcohol use disorders.

• As a geriatric psychiatrist, he frequently witnesses the effects of alcohol use disorder on dementia, where it may be too late to improve cognitive function.

• Screening, reducing problem drinking, and providing early treatment for alcohol use disorders should begin in primary care settings.

  Final Thoughts…

  Wow. Wine seems so harmless… Who’da thunk?

  It numbed us out pretty well during COVID…. didn’t it?

  But this makes sense as there is a growing awareness among many of my executive clients of a need to move from, as they put it, from living “wet” to living “damp.”

• I for one, intend to take this advice deeply to heart. I’ll be 70 in December, and I need every freaking synapse fully functional…

  Be well, stay kind, watch your alcohol consumption, and Godspeed.

  RESEARCH:
  Schwarzinger M, Pollock BG, Hasan OSM, Dufouil C, Rehm J; QalyDays Study Group. Contribution of alcohol use disorders to the burden of dementia in France 2008-13: a nationwide retrospective cohort study. Lancet Public Health. 2018 Mar;3(3):e124-e132. doi: 10.1016/S2468-2667(18)30022-7. Epub 2018 Feb 21. PMID: 29475810.