"The enrollment criterion for heavy drinkers was the consumption of more than an average of 100 alcoholic drinks per month for men over 3 years before the study ( 80 drinks for women)," they wrote in the report, published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.

ok, it appears to be relying on self reporting of alcoholic consumption, which in my estimation would be notoriously innaccurate with the real figure likely to be much higher.

another point, that's three years worth of having 25 drinks a week. How many people would have 25 drinks a week for men, and 20 a week for women, every week three years solid? Anyone who does is likely to have a real problem.

now is it really the drinking or is it that perhaps heavy drinkers are more likely to say be smokers or not exercise or have really poor diets? Perhaps a vitamin deficiency? I'd have to checkt he study for that one.

One drink is usually defined as a serving of spirits, a glass of wine or a can or bottle of beer.

sweet, 25 glasses a wine a week for me? Or 25 beers? I rarely have that much in a week. I'll usually have one big one on the weekend and that's it.

another point.....this doesn't distinguish between binging and continuous heavy drinking every day. Perhaps they have different effects.

Dieter Meyerhoff of UCSF and Dr. Peter Martin of Vanderbilt examined 46 chronic, heavy drinkers and 52 light drinkers recruited using newspaper ads and flyers.

again, I would imagine that light drinkers behaviour is probably better. Even if they try to allow for that can it all really be allowed for?

They used magnetic resonance imaging to look at physical brain structures and also measured various brain chemicals associated with healthy brain function.

Standard tests of verbal intelligence, processing speed, balance, working memory, spatial function, executive function, and learning and memory were given to the volunteers.

"Our heavy drinkers sample was significantly impaired on measures of working memory, processing speed, attention, executive function, and balance," the researchers wrote.

this was no before and after study. Who knows, perhaps they would have been like this beforehand.

Measures of brain chemicals and structures showed some of the same damage seen in alcoholics who are in the hospital or treatment centers, they said.

The study is unusual in that most studies of brain damage from alcohol are done in people who have undergone treatment.

"What our findings indicate is that brain damage is detectable in heavy drinkers who are not in treatment and function relatively well in the community," Meyerhoff said in a statement.

what it indicates is that further research on this area needs to be done. Yes, it does appear that heavy drinking can cause brain damage, but.....I have detailed a few buts here

Martin and Meyerhoff said the study showed evidence of brain impairment, even if the drinkers cannot see it themselves.

"Our message is: Drink in moderation. Heavy drinking damages your brain ever so slightly, reducing your cognitive functioning in ways that may not be readily noticeable. To be safe, don't overdo it."

Meyerhoff said that for most adults, moderate alcohol use translates to up to two drinks per day for younger men, and one drink per day for women and older people.


wads

Onwards the Aussie Spam Invasion!
TwoWongs rocks my world
campaiging for vitamin S
Quai Master is my muffin