Amount and type of alcohol and risk of dementia

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether amount or type of alcohol is associated with risk of dementia. METHODS AND SUBJECTS: Case-control nested in a cohort study among participants in the third Copenhagen City Heart Study (1991 to 1994), aged 65 years or more, who where screened using the Mini-Mental State Examination and subsequently examined for dementia. There were 83 subjects diagnosed with dementia and the remaining 1,626 nondemented subjects were included as controls. The two groups were compared with regard to alcohol intake and type of alcohol assessed 15 years before. RESULTS: Average weekly total alcohol intake had no significant effect on risk of dementia. Monthly and weekly intake of wine was significantly associated with a lower risk of dementia. For beer and spirits, only a monthly intake of beer was significantly associated with an increased risk of dementia. The effect of alcohol on risk of dementia did not differ between men and women. CONCLUSIONS: Monthly and weekly intake of wine is associated with a lower risk of dementia. The results do not indicate that people should start drinking or increase wine consumption to avoid dementia, but instead suggest that certain substances in wine may reduce the occurrence of dementia.