Wine is worse for brain than beer, scientists reveal in blow for women drinkers

News Type: Event — Seeded on Mon Mar 17, 2008 10:50 AM EDT

Article Source: the Mail online

health, food, alcohol, wine, alzheimers-disease, hippocampus

Drinking wine damages the brain more than beer or spirits, scientists claim.

They say it particularly affects the hippocampus, the part of the brain associated with memory and spatial awareness, and one of the first areas to be affected by Alzheimer's disease.

It could explain why millions forget what they are doing mid-task, or arrive in a room only to forget why they went there in the first place.

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Michael Sautter's Column, All of Newsvine
Groups: Foodies!, HealthVine, Newsvines drunks, Wine club
Regions: London

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{"commentId":1588022,"authorDomain":"michaelsautter"}

Michael Sautter

So go easy on the wine ladies.

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1 vote

#1 - Mon Mar 17, 2008 11:03 AM EDT

{"commentId":1588986,"authorDomain":"LAUHAL63"}

lauhal

Thank goodness I prefer beer! Dodged the bullet on that one. :)

{"commentId":1588986,"threadId":"235799","contentId":"1371949","authorDomain":"LAUHAL63"}

2 votes

#2 - Mon Mar 17, 2008 3:18 PM EDT

{"commentId":1589149,"authorDomain":"tigerblade"}

tigerblade

Bad news for my girlfriend. Maybe I should take back the wine rack I bought her.

It could explain why millions forget what they are doing mid-task, or arrive in a room only to forget why they went there in the first place.

That does explain a lot though.

Then again, it's also bad news for me, as I primarily drink wine too. Hmm.

{"commentId":1589149,"threadId":"235799","contentId":"1371949","authorDomain":"tigerblade"}

1 vote

#3 - Mon Mar 17, 2008 3:59 PM EDT

{"commentId":1589241,"authorDomain":"nearing"}

nearing

If anyone is interested in the actual journal article:

Hippocampal Volume Loss in Patients with Alcoholism is Influenced by the Consumed Type of Alcoholic Beverage

Conclusions: Homocysteine-mediated excitotoxicity may be an important pathophysiological mechanism in ethanol-related brain damage, particularly in patients consuming wine and spirits. The extent of brain atrophy in beer consuming patients seems to be more moderate.

The Daily Mail took a LOT of liberties with this article. They are using it to fear-monger and sensationalize. The study was on ALCOHOLICS, it says nothing about people who drink wine in general. All alcoholics have ethanol-related brain damage (shrinkage) to one degree or another, The study just says that alcoholics that drink beer mainly MAY have less brain shrinkage than those who prefer wine or spirits.

If you are not an alcoholic, don't worry about wine vs. beer vs. spirits. DON'T become an alcoholic.

[Mydree, I am not saying you shouldn't seed this type of article. Actually, I think it's good to call the media on their blunders. Just be able to question the facts. My first clue was that the Daily Mail didn't provide a link to the original study results. Shoddy journalism ;>) ]

{"commentId":1589241,"threadId":"235799","contentId":"1371949","authorDomain":"nearing"}

3 votes

#4 - Mon Mar 17, 2008 4:17 PM EDT

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MICHAEL SAUTTER

Backyard

Wine is worse for brain than beer, scientists reveal in blow for women drinkers

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