William Atkins
Tuesday, 14 October 2008 20:05
Science -
Health
Page 2 of 3
The subjects were also given a health examination. Relevant factors were taken into account, such as level of education, sex (gender), age, height, body mass index (BMI).
They were also tested with regards to their risk for strokes (using the Framingham Stroke Risk Profile). None of the participants had any major health risks nor had any history of strokes.
The Massachusetts researchers found, generally, that most people ranked themselves as low alcohol drinkers (nearly 38% of men and over 44% of women).
Thus, men, rather than women, were more likely to rank themselves as moderate drinkers or high drinkers.
The researchers also noted that the brain naturally decreases in volume with age at an average rate of 1.9% per decade. And, that the use of alcohol did not have any positive affect (protection) on this normal (natural) decrease in brain volume with age.
In fact, alcoholic usage had the opposite affect—it actually increased the decrease in brain volume with age.
Specifically, the researchers found that the more alcohol consumed the less the TCBV, or the total cerebral brain volume.
They stated,
“There was a significant negative linear relationship between alcohol consumption and TCBV …. This relationship was modified by sex, with alcohol consumption having a stronger association with TCBV in women than in men ….”
Page three continues the conclusions.
