Drinking alcohol, including regular heavy drinking and abuse, is not a direct cause of cognitive impairment in older men. Rather, indirect causes - such as poor diet and head injury - are more likely to be responsible for the previous association between alcohol abuse and cognitive impairment.
Researchers compared memory tests for men who do not metabolise alcohol well and therefore avoid alcohol with men who are normal metabolisers of alcohol and were regular drinkers. Men who avoided alcohol had higher odds of cognitive impairment than regular drinkers.
The researchers explain that their results are consistent with the possibility, but do not prove, that regular moderate drinking decreases the risk of cognitive impairment.
Read more at The University of Western Australia