Unlike Alzheimer’s disease or vascular dementia, alcohol-related ‘dementia’ is not certain to get worse over time. With the right treatment and support, there is often a good chance that it will stop getting worse or improve. It can be difficult to get an assessment, as some GPs will insist that the person has stopped drinking for several weeks before they can assess https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/how-to-rebuild-your-life-after-addiction-how-to-regain-trust/ the person’s memory. Some experts think that a person can be assessed for alcohol-related ‘dementia’ while they are still drinking too much, as long as they aren’t intoxicated at the time of the assessment. If a doctor is unaware of the person drinking too much alcohol over many years, they may not consider alcohol-related ‘dementia’ as a possible diagnosis.

• People may also have motor difficulties due to impaired coordination and trouble walking, which can lead to safety concerns.
• As symptoms get worse, a family member or friend may be more likely to notice the issues.
• Programs and services can help support people with the disease and their caregivers.

For example, Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome is most closely linked with low levels of thiamine (vitamin B1). You can find out how many units are in an alcoholic drink by reading the label. This should ideally be spread over three or more days because ‘binge-drinking’ is particularly harmful to the brain. Current NHS guidelines alcohol and dementia state that both men and women should limit their intake to 14 units a week. A unit is dependent on the amount of pure alcohol in a given volume and can be calculated for specific drinks. In comparison with healthy controls, the ARD groups performed poorly on visuo-spatial measures, including copying tasks and clock drawing.

How alcohol, genetic risk may accelerate Alzheimer’s

Multiple research and observational studies have demonstrated that people who drink high amounts of alcohol are at an increased risk of developing dementia. Alcohol-related brain damage may account for approximately 10% of all dementia cases. This is known as alcohol-related brain damage (ARBD) or alcohol-related brain injury (ARBI). Some people with ARBD will only have small changes to their thinking and memory, known as mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Mendelian randomization studies might aid in assessing causality [79, 80] but, to date, the findings from such studies do not indicate a causal impact of alcohol on AD [81] or cognitive functioning/impairment [82, 83]. Furthermore, cohort studies in twins may contribute to identifying genetic variations [85].

• However, a 2017 study found that even moderate amounts of alcohol consumption over many years lead to shrinkage of an area of the brain involved in the formation of new memory (the hippocampus).
• While forgetfulness and short-term memory might be the first signs, a person may go on to experience difficulties with executive functioning (like organizing and planning) and, in a later stage, problems with motor abilities.
• For example, headaches, frequent anger episodes, mood swings, slurred speech as well as memory gaps are serious signs of alcoholic dementia.
• Alcohol withdrawal can significantly affect various mental functions, such as mood, concentration, and judgment.
• Alcohol-related ‘dementia’ is a type of alcohol-related brain damage (ARBD).

Alcohol-related dementia often occurs in people who experience long-term alcohol misuse. Excessive, prolonged consumption can cause a vitamin deficiency, which can cause parts of the brain to deteriorate. Prevention is the key to reducing the risk of any major health problems and psychosocial consequences of heavy drinking. If you have difficulty controlling your alcohol use and want help, there are many treatment options and resources to help you through your journey toward sobriety and wellness.

Associations between dimensions of alcohol use and specific brain functions

A study found that excessive alcohol consumption might interact with different biochemical pathways to affect various types of dementia. The underlying mechanisms of alcohol-induced brain damage are not entirely understood yet. Still, research has highlighted the crucial role of nutrition in this process. Alcohol consumption can have both short-term and long-term effects on your brain. When consumed excessively over a prolonged period of time, alcohol may cause damage to brain structures, including the hippocampus and cortex, which play crucial roles in memory and cognitive functions.

Once the withdrawal process is over, you’ll likely be referred to a mental health professional for extra support. All of the information gathered during the diagnostic process will also help them rule out other types of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease or vascular dementia. It can be beneficial to work with a social worker who is experienced in managing alcoholic dementia and who can guide you and provide you with advice, support, and resources as you cope with this condition. The Drink Less app allows people to set goals, record how much they drink, and log their mood and sleep quality after drinking. It shows progress towards goals and can offer feedback and support with action plans for situations where users would usually drink. Chromosome 21 is the gene involved in the production of the protein that leads to the creation of beta-amyloid.

How is alcohol-related dementia treated?

Options may include inpatient or outpatient detoxification from alcohol, and sometimes, medication is necessary to help a person stop drinking. If you or a loved one is living with AUD, it can be challenging to stop drinking. Alcohol withdrawal can be dangerous if you abruptly stop drinking after consuming large amounts of alcohol for a long time.

The Lancet review by Livingston et al. [1] showed that the risks of heavy drinking and AUDs for dementia have been underestimated. Replication studies from other countries would also improve the evidence base [75]. This scoping review was limited by the large amount of heterogeneity in the operationalization of outcomes and the small degree of overlap of underlying studies between reviews (Additional file 1). This heterogeneity in outcome operationalization may have contributed to the contradictory findings with respect to light to moderate drinking mentioned above. Therefore, there is also a need for the use of standardized objective measures of dementia and cognitive decline, using current consensus criteria. Reviews or meta-analyses were included if they described the systematic search process with listed databases and search terms.