That’s precisely what researchers at Brazil’s University of São Paulo Medical School set out to do. Published in Neurology on April 9, 2025, their study explored how heavy alcohol use affects the brain—and whether certain drinking habits are linked to long-term brain damage, memory problems and signs of cognitive diseases like dementia and Alzheimer's.
To do this, they analyzed the brains of 1,781 people who died at an average age of 75, looking for physical signs of brain damage like vascular lesions (which occur when tiny blood vessels in the brain are damaged), tau tangles (a protein buildup commonly seen in Alzheimer’s) and changes in overall brain size and function.
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Heavy drinkers were also 133% more likely to have brain lesions than non-drinkers. These lesions—which are caused by damage to small blood vessels in the brain—are strongly linked to memory loss, cognitive decline and dementia. Heavy and former heavy drinkers were also more likely to have tau tangles, a key biological marker of Alzheimer’s disease. Combined, this put them at more than double the risk for developing a dementia-related condition. Which is all to say: Excessive drinking is becoming a big problem for brain health.
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The Damage Doesn't Stop Once You Quit
Still, quitting does seem to be worth it; it did slash their lesion odds by more than half.
Heavy Drinking May Shorten Your Lifespan
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"We found heavy drinking is directly linked to signs of injury in the brain, and this can cause long-term effects on brain health, which may impact memory and thinking abilities,” Justo concluded. “Understanding these effects is crucial for public health awareness and continuing to implement preventive measures to reduce heavy drinking.”
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Sources
Association Between Alcohol Consumption, Cognitive Abilities, and Neuropathologic Changes. Neurology.How does heavy drinking affect the brain? American Academy of Neurology. Read More Details
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