Dementia: Moderate Drinking Linked to Lower Levels of Alzheimer's Brain Protein

A study in PLOS Medicine from the Seoul National University College of Medicine found that moderate levels of alcohol consumption can help stave off symptoms of dementia and Alzheimer's, reports the Daily Express . The researchers examined 414 men and women, average age 71, who underwent physical exams, tests of mental acuity, and positron-emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging scans. Moderate drinkers exhibited a 66 percent lower rate of amyloid deposits in their brain. Moderate drinking was defined as 13 standard drinks, classified for the study as either 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of hard liquor. However, the results only applied to those who drank moderately for decades, and the researchers cautioned that these findings do not prove causation.