What question did this study set out to answer?

This research aims to understand how light/moderate alcohol consumption influences cardiovascular risk through changes in stress-related neural activity.

June 27, 2026Journal of the American College of Cardiology51 citationsOpen Access

Reduced Stress-Related Neural Network Activity Mediates the Effect of Alcohol on Cardiovascular Risk

KMKenechukwu MezueUniversity of the Commonwealth Caribbean MOMichael T. OsborneCardiac Imaging SAShady AbohashemPreventive Cardiology

Key Points

This research aims to understand how light/moderate alcohol consumption influences cardiovascular risk through changes in stress-related neural activity.
Analysis of data from 53,064 individuals enrolled in the Mass General Brigham Biobank completing health behavior surveys.
Assessment of stress-related neural network activity was conducted using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in a subset of 713 participants.
Alcohol categorized as none/minimal, light/moderate, or high, and associations with major adverse cardiovascular events evaluated.
Light/moderate alcohol consumption associated with lower MACE risk (HR: 0.786; 95% CI: 0.717-0.862; P < 0.0001).
In participants with brain imaging, alcohol consumption linked to decreased stress-related neural network activity (standardized beta -0.192; P = 0.01).
Lower neural activity partially mediated the beneficial effect of light/moderate alcohol on MACE (log OR: -0.040; P < 0.05).

Abstract

BACKGROUND Chronic stress associates with major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) via increased stress-related neural network activity (SNA). Light/moderate alcohol consumption (ACl/m) has been linked to lower MACE risk, but the mechanisms are unclear. OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the association between ACl/m and MACE is mediated by decreased SNA. METHODS Individuals enrolled in the Mass General Brigham Biobank who completed a health behavior survey were studied. A subset underwent 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography, enabling assessment of SNA. Alcohol consumption was classified as none/minimal, light/moderate, or high (14 drinks/week, respectively). RESULTS Of 53,064 participants (median age 60 years, 60% women), 23,920 had no/minimal alcohol consumption and 27,053 ACl/m. Over a median follow-up of 3.4 years, 1,914 experienced MACE. ACl/m (vs none/minimal) associated with lower MACE risk (HR: 0.786; 95% CI: 0.717-0.862; P < 0.0001) after adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors. In 713 participants with brain imaging, ACl/m (vs none/minimal) associated with decreased SNA (standardized beta -0.192; 95% CI: -0.338 to -0.046; P = 0.01). Lower SNA partially mediated the beneficial effect of ACl/m on MACE (log OR: -0.040; 95% CI: -0.097 to -0.003; P < 0.05). Further, ACl/m associated with larger decreases in MACE risk among individuals with (vs without) prior anxiety (HR: 0.60 95% CI: 0.50-0.72 vs 0.78 95% CI: 0.73-0.80; P interaction = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS ACl/m associates with reduced MACE risk, in part, by lowering activity of a stress-related brain network known for its association with cardiovascular disease. Given alcohol's potential health detriments, new interventions with similar effects on SNA are needed.

AI에게 질문

Bookmark

View Full Paper