ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION AND LONGITUDINAL CHANGE IN WHITE MATTER TRACKS

• Published in: Innovation in aging 2017-07, Vol.1 (suppl_1), p.1153-1153
• Main Authors: Willis, S.L., Blaskewicz Boron, J.A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abstracts
• ISSN: 2399-5300; 2399-5300
• DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igx004.4210

While alcohol abuse has many detrimental physical and mental effects, there is considerable debate on whether moderate alcohol use, as compared to abstainers, might have a positive effect on health and cognitive functioning in old age. A metaanalysis of 15 studies reported that alcohol abstainers had an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) compared to light to moderate drinkers (Anstey et al, 2009); AD risk reduction for moderate drinkers were also found by Deckers et al.,2014. However, findings regarding neural function and alcohol use have been mixed and shown nonlinear patterns. Several cross-sectional studies have reported some positive effects of moderate drinking associated with white matter hyperintensities, gray matter, and cerebral infarction. Longitudinal studies regarding association of neural function and moderate alcohol consumption are lacking. This study examined 8- yr longitudinal change (DTI) in white matter tracts, comparing alcohol use in cognitively normal abstainers vs moderate alcohol consumers, aged 50 – 80+ yrs from the Seattle Longitudinal Study (SLS; N = 163). Moderate alcohol use defined as in other studies as 1 – 14 drinks per week. Significant differences in white matter integrity for abstainers vs moderate drinkers were found in white matter tracks: Cingulate (CN), inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF), superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF), and fornix (FX). Effects were primarily found for radial diffusivity (ILF, CN) and axial diffusivity (SLF, CN), compared to FA. Effects were moderated negatively by age in SLF, CN and FX. Effects were moderated by negatively APOE e4 allele in ILF and CN.