Excessive Intake of Alcohol Causes Early Dementia

Excessive consumption of alcohol can lead to early dementia, a latest study published in JAMA Internal Medicine reports.

The researchers at Umea University, Sweden, examined data of 488,484 men recruited for compulsory military service from September 1969 to December 1979. The average age of the men was 18.

The study results show that 487 men were diagnosed with dementia at an average age of 54 and the reason behind this was the excessive alcohol intake.

"The idea of lifelong factors playing a role, that activities and behaviors at an early age matter, seems intuitive," Heather Snyder, the director of medical and scientific operations for the Alzheimer's Association, told Businessweek. "There may be other types of public health interventions that can be incorporated" in dementia prevention, "she said.

The study also found other risk factors for dementia. The researchers said that family members suffering dementia, low cognitive function and alcohol abuse are known to increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease and dementia in other relatives.

Over five million U.S. people suffer from Alzheimer's disease that is known to decrease patient's memory, thinking and ability to carry out simple tasks. This disease is the most common form of dementia and is predicted to affect as many as 65.7 million people worldwide by 2030, according to the World Health Organization estimation.

 "There are 800,000 people with dementia and this number is expected to reach a million within 10 years. The best way to reduce your risk of dementia is to eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly, stop smoking and get your blood pressure and cholesterol checked regularly," the Alzheimer's Society says.