Largest study of its kind finds alcohol use biggest risk factor for dementia | The Lancet Public Health | Story via ScienceDaily
An observational study of over one million adults diagnosed with dementia in France has found that alcohol use disorders are the most important preventable risk factors for the onset of all types of dementia, especially early-onset dementia.
The study looked specifically at the effect of alcohol use disorders, and included people who had been diagnosed with mental and behavioural disorders or chronic diseases that were attributable to chronic harmful use of alcohol. Of the 57,000 cases of early-onset dementia (before the age of 65), the majority (57%) were related to chronic heavy drinking.
As a result of the strong association found in this study, the authors suggest that screening, brief interventions for heavy drinking, and treatment for alcohol use disorders should be implemented to reduce the alcohol-attributable burden of dementia.
Full story at ScienceDaily
Link to research: Schwarzinger, M | Contribution of alcohol use disorders to the burden of dementia in France 2008–13: a nationwide retrospective cohort study | The Lancet Public Health | published online 20 February 2018
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