title: Alcohol consumption and cognitive decline in early old age.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the association between alcohol consumption in midlife and subsequent cognitive decline.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data are from 5,054 men and 2,099 women from the Whitehall II cohort study with a mean age of 56 years (range 44-69 years) at first cognitive assessment. Alcohol consumption was assessed 3 times in the 10 years preceding the first cognitive assessment (1997-1999). Cognitive tests were repeated in 2002-2004 and 2007-2009. The cognitive test battery included 4 tests assessing memory and executive function; a global cognitive score summarized performances across these tests. Linear mixed models were used to assess the association between alcohol consumption and cognitive decline, expressed as z scores (mean = 0, SD = 1).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In men, there were no differences in cognitive decline among alcohol abstainers, quitters, and light or moderate alcohol drinkers (<20 g/d). However, alcohol consumption ≥36 g/d was associated with faster decline in all cognitive domains compared with consumption between 0.1 and 19.9 g/d: mean difference (95% confidence interval) in 10-year decline in the global cognitive score = -0.10 (-0.16, -0.04), executive function = -0.06 (-0.12, 0.00), and memory = -0.16 (-0.26, -0.05). In women, compared with those drinking 0.1 to 9.9 g/d of alcohol, 10-year abstainers showed faster decline in the global cognitive score (-0.21 [-0.37, -0.04]) and executive function (-0.17 [-0.32, -0.01]).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Excessive alcohol consumption in men (≥36 g/d) was associated with faster cognitive decline compared with light to moderate alcohol consumption.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Epidemiology & Public Health (S.S., A.B., S.B., M.S., M.K., A.S.-M.), University College London, UK; INSERM (A.E., A.S.-M.), U1018, Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Population Health, Villejuif; University Paris 11 (A.E., A.S.-M.), Villejuif; University Versailles St-Quentin (A.D., A.S.-M.), Boulogne-Billancourt; and Centre de Gérontologie (A.S.-M.), Hôpital Ste Périne, AP-HP, France.
authors.forename: Séverine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sabia
authors.forename: Alexis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Elbaz
authors.forename: Annie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Britton
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.forename: Aline
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dugravot
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shipley
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kivimaki
authors.forename: Archana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Singh-Manoux
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires