Midlife Alcohol Abuse Increases Late Life Memory Loss

Midlife Alcohol Abuse Linked to Severe Memory Impairment


Problem drinking in middle age appears to significantly increase the risk for severe memory loss in later life, new research shows.



Investigators at the University of Exeter Medical School in the United Kingdom found that middle-aged adults with alcohol use disorders (AUDs) had more than double the risk of developing severe memory impairment almost 20 years later.


This finding ― that middle-aged people with a history of problem drinking more than double their chances of memory impairment when they are older ― suggests that this is a public health issue that needs to be addressed; that more research is required to investigate the potential harms associated with alcohol consumption throughout life.