title: Current Heavy Alcohol Consumption is Associated with Greater Cognitive Impairment in Older Adults.
abstract: The acute consumption of excessive quantities of alcohol causes well-recognized neurophysiological and cognitive alterations. As people reach advanced age, they are more prone to cognitive decline. To date, the interaction of current heavy alcohol (ethanol [EtOH]) consumption and aging remains unclear. This study tested the hypothesis that negative consequences of current heavy alcohol consumption on neurocognitive function are worse with advanced age. Further, we evaluated the relations between lifetime history of alcohol dependence and neurocognitive function METHODS: Sixty-six participants underwent a comprehensive neurocognitive battery. Current heavy EtOH drinkers were classified using National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism criteria (EtOH heavy, n = 21) based on the Timeline follow-back and a structured clinical interview and compared to nondrinkers, and moderate drinkers (EtOH low, n = 45). Of the total population, 53.3% had a lifetime history of alcohol dependence. Neurocognitive data were grouped and analyzed relative to global and domain scores assessing: global cognitive function, attention/executive function, learning, memory, motor function, verbal function, and speed of processing.
  
  
  
  Heavy current EtOH consumption in older adults was associated with poorer global cognitive function, learning, memory, and motor function (ps < 0.05). Furthermore, lifetime history of alcohol dependence was associated with poorer function in the same neurocognitive domains, in addition to the attention/executive domain, irrespective of age (ps < 0.05).
  
  
  
  These data suggest that while heavy current alcohol consumption is associated with significant impairment in a number of neurocognitive domains, history of alcohol dependence, even in the absence of heavy current alcohol use, is associated with lasting negative consequences for neurocognitive function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory (CAM), Institute on Aging, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida. ajwoods@ufl.edu.
authors.forename: Adam J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Woods
authors.affiliation: Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory (CAM), Institute on Aging, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
authors.forename: Eric C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Porges
authors.affiliation: Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory (CAM), Institute on Aging, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
authors.forename: Vaughn E
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: Bryant
authors.affiliation: Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory (CAM), Institute on Aging, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
authors.forename: Talia
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Seider
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California.
authors.forename: Assawin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gongvatana
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies and the Alcohol Research Center on HIV (ARCH), Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, Rhode Island.
authors.forename: Christopher W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Kahler
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island.
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: de la Monte
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies and the Alcohol Research Center on HIV (ARCH), Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, Rhode Island.
authors.forename: Peter M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Monti
authors.affiliation: Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory (CAM), Institute on Aging, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
authors.forename: Ronald A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Cohen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D063425:Binge Drinking / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000139:chemically induced*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D000431:Ethanol
keywords: Alcohol Consumption; Alcohol Dependence; Cognitive Aging; Cognitive Impairment; EtOH