Alcohol consumption and transition of mild cognitive impairment to dementia

• Published in: Psychiatry and clinical neurosciences Vol. 63; no. 1; pp. 43 - 49
• Main Authors: Xu, Gelin, Liu, Xinfeng, Yin, Qin, Zhu, Wusheng, Zhang, Renliang, Fan, Xiaobing
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Melbourne, Australia Blackwell Publishing Asia 01.02.2009; Wiley-Blackwell
• Subjects: Age Factors; Aged; alcohol; Alcohol Drinking - epidemiology; Alcohol Drinking - psychology; Biological and medical sciences; China - epidemiology; cognition; Cognition Disorders - epidemiology; Cognition Disorders - psychology; Cohort Studies; dementia; Dementia - epidemiology; Dementia - psychology; Disease Progression; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Geriatrics; Humans; Kaplan-Meier Estimate; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Medical sciences; Neuropsychological Tests; prognosis; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Risk; Risk Factors; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; China; alcohol; Alcoholic beverage; risk factors; Prognosis; Cognitive disorder; Risk factor; Degenerative disease; Cognition; mild cognitive impairment; Dementia
• ISSN: 1323-1316; 1440-1819; 1440-1819
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-1819.2008.01904.x

Aim:  Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a prodrome for dementia. Alcohol drinking patterns may affect cognitive functions and the effects may accumulate to a significant level at an advanced age. This study investigated the relationship between alcohol consumption and risks for dementia in a cohort of elderly patients with MCI. Methods:  Patients with suspected cognitive impairment were screened. One hundred and seventy‐six patients who met the MCI criteria were enrolled. Lifetime and daily alcohol consumptions were assessed at baseline using a self‐report questionnaire answered by patients and their caregivers. Patients were classified according to alcohol consumptions as abstainers, light–moderate and heavy drinkers. Global cognitive functions were assessed periodically with Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE). Enrolled patients were followed for 2 years. Results:  Of the 176 patients diagnosed as having MCI, 15 (8.5%) died, 13 (7.4%) were lost to follow up, and 66 (37.5%) developed dementia during follow up. Light–moderate alcohol drinkers had better MMSE performance than abstainers (P < 0.05) and heavy drinkers (P < 0.01) 2 years after MCI diagnosis. Patients who consumed a total of ≤300 kg alcohol prior to MCI diagnosis had less cognitive decline than patients who consumed no (P < 0.05) or >300 kg alcohol (P < 0.01). Heavy drinkers had a higher risk for dementia than abstainers (P < 0.05) and light–moderate drinkers (P < 0.05) 2 years after MCI diagnosis. Conclusions:  A J‐shaped relationship may exist between alcohol consumption and cognitive decline in MCI patients. Light–moderate alcohol drinking may be associated with decreased risks for dementia in elderly patients with MCI.