Moussa Malaak N, Simpson Sean L, Mayhugh Rhiannon E, Grata Michelle E, Burdette Jonathan H, Porrino Linda J, Laurienti Paul J
Laboratory for Complex Brain Networks, Department of Radiology, Wake Forest School of Medicine Winston-Salem, NC, USA ; Neuroscience Program, Wake Forest School of Medicine Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
Laboratory for Complex Brain Networks, Department of Radiology, Wake Forest School of Medicine Winston-Salem, NC, USA ; Department of Biostatistical Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
Front Aging Neurosci. 2015 Jan 5;6:341. doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2014.00341. eCollection 2014.
Recent census data has found that roughly 40% of adults 65 years and older not only consume alcohol but also drink more of it than previous generations. Older drinkers are more vulnerable than younger counterparts to the psychoactive effects of alcohol due to natural biological changes that occur with aging. This study was specifically designed to measure the effect of long-term moderate alcohol consumption on cognitive health in older adult drinkers. An extensive battery of validated tests commonly used in aging and substance use literature was used to measure performance in specific cognitive domains, including working memory and attention. An age (young, old) (*) alcohol consumption (light, moderate) factorial study design was used to evaluate the main effects of age and alcohol consumption on cognitive performance. The focus of the study was then limited to light and moderate older drinkers, and whether or not long-term moderate alcohol consumption exacerbated age-related cognitive decline. No evidence was found to support the idea that long-term moderate alcohol consumption in older adults exacerbates age-related cognitive decline. Findings were specific to healthy community dwelling social drinkers in older age and they should not be generalized to individuals with other consumption patterns, like heavy drinkers, binge drinkers or ex-drinkers.
最近的人口普查数据发现，年龄在65岁及以上的成年人中，约有40%不仅饮酒，而且饮酒量比前几代人更多。由于衰老过程中发生的自然生理变化，老年饮酒者比年轻饮酒者更容易受到酒精精神活性作用的影响。这项研究专门设计用于测量长期适度饮酒对老年饮酒者认知健康的影响。使用了衰老和物质使用文献中常用的一系列广泛的经过验证的测试，来测量特定认知领域的表现，包括工作记忆和注意力。采用年龄（年轻、年老）（*）饮酒量（轻度、适度）析因研究设计，以评估年龄和饮酒量对认知表现的主要影响。然后，研究重点局限于轻度和适度饮酒的老年人，以及长期适度饮酒是否会加剧与年龄相关的认知衰退。没有证据支持老年人长期适度饮酒会加剧与年龄相关的认知衰退这一观点。研究结果特定于健康的社区居住老年社交饮酒者，不应推广到其他饮酒模式的个体，如酗酒者、暴饮者或戒酒者。
