If you or someone you know struggles with alcohol addiction, get help from a medical professional or addiction specialist. It’s estimated that only about 10% of people who need treatment for alcohol addiction actually receive it. Don’t let yourself or your loved ones become a statistic – seek help today. After the withdrawal process, it can be best to work on mental health treatments with a support team. A person may consider joining support groups or attending counseling or therapy if alcohol use is impairing their quality of life in the short and long term. Lewy body dementia is another progressive type of dementia that causes an accumulation of proteins called Lewy bodies in various brain areas.
The two main types of ARBD that can cause symptoms of dementia are alcohol-related ‘dementia’ and Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome. Neither of these are actual types of dementia, because you cannot get better from dementia, and there is some heroin addiction chance of recovery in both of these conditions. If a person regularly drinks too much alcohol, they also have a higher risk of repeated head injuries.
- At Lakeside-Milam Recovery Centers, we provide evidence-based treatment to help people overcome the disease of addiction.
- Whether through lifestyle adjustments or seeking external help, each step towards responsible living is a stride toward preserving cognitive health and ensuring a secure future.
- ARBD is directly caused by long-term heavy drinking and can potentially be halted or reversed by abstinence, while dementia has many potential causes and is generally progressive and irreversible.
- This excessive consumption puts a person at risk of various brain diseases, including AD, stroke, and heart disease.
Management and Treatment
- Research indicates that individuals who abuse alcohol are at an increased risk of developing dementia earlier than their non-drinking counterparts.
- An individual may also need assistive technology and other modifications to help them with everyday tasks.
- Alcohol consumption is linked to at least seven types of cancer, including cancers of the breast and bowel, as well as high blood pressure, heart disease, and liver disease.
Even though the majority of individuals are familiar with the form of dementia known as Alzheimer’s disease, there are many more types of dementia. For example, primary progressive aphasia is a form of dementia that attacks a person’s language and speech, slowly robbing that person’s ability to speak. According to The Alzheimer’s Association, alcoholism has been known to cause a more rare type of dementia called Korsakoff syndrome. This form of alcoholic dementia appears when an individual is deficient in vitamin B1 or thiamine, which is a deficiency that is much more widespread among chronic alcoholics. Alcohol-related dementia can produce a variety of psychiatric problems including psychosis (disconnection from reality), depression, anxiety, and personality changes. Most research indicates that moderate drinking has very little negative impact on health and is considered beneficial for cardiac health.
Rehabilitation methods to change behaviors and lower the risks
The damage that causes alcohol-related dementia happens after years of unsafe drinking. ➤ Support and treatment are crucial for recovery and brain health. Understanding these stakes underlines why tackling alcoholism aggressively benefits society broadly—not just individual drinkers alone—and why answering “Can Being An Alcoholic Cause Dementia? Regular screening for cognitive deficits should be part of care plans for individuals with known alcoholism histories.
Heavy drinkers buy more alcohol-free drinks – study
Sometimes, physical changes such as movement disorders or coordination problems can help differentiate types of dementia. Once the withdrawal process is over, you’ll likely be referred to a mental health professional for extra support. Joining a support group can also be can alcoholism cause dementia helpful at this stage of treatment. All of the information gathered during the diagnostic process will help the doctor rule out other types of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease or vascular dementia. The brains of participants who were drinking three units of alcohol a day over the previous month had reductions in both white and gray matter, making their brains appear three and a half years older. For reference, one unit is considered a half pint of beer or a small glass of wine.
Low levels of thiamine (vitamin B
You can find out how many units are in an alcoholic drink by reading the label. The NHS recommends not drinking more than 14 units of alcohol each week. This should ideally be spread over three or more days because ‘binge-drinking’ is particularly harmful to the brain. The results are reported in the April 4 issue of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.
Addressing cognitive decline linked to alcoholism requires a multi-pronged approach focusing on abstinence from alcohol coupled with medical intervention. Heavy drinking causes direct injury to brain cells and interferes with neurogenesis—the process by which new neurons form. The frontal lobes, responsible for decision-making and impulse control, are particularly vulnerable. Damage here explains why alcoholics often struggle with judgment and planning. Ethanol and its metabolites disrupt neurotransmitter systems, cause oxidative stress, and promote inflammation. These processes gradually destroy neurons and reduce brain volume, especially in areas critical for memory and executive function.
Research into alcohol and dementia risk
For example, Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome is most closely linked with low levels of thiamine (vitamin B1). People who are addicted to alcohol are also much less likely to have a balanced diet. This means that over months and years, they have a higher risk of malnutrition, including a lack of vitamins such as thiamine (vitamin B1). Drinking a large amount of alcohol in a short space of time (such as a single evening) is known as ‘binge-drinking’.
Results of the Reviewed Studies
These systems can help individuals and families manage alcohol-related dementia better. If you spot any of the symptoms, go to a doctor and quit drinking. To slow down the progression, adopt healthy habits like exercise, balanced diet, and do activities that stimulate your brain such as reading and socializing.
Cognitive Symptoms Progression in Alcoholics
Alcohol-related dementia is a severe form of alcohol-related brain damage caused by many years of heavy drinking. It can lead to dementia-like symptoms, including memory loss and mood changes. While light or moderate drinking may protect against the development of Alzheimer’s disease, chronic alcohol use over an extended period can cause irreversible brain damage. This excessive consumption puts a person at risk of various brain diseases, including AD, stroke, and heart disease.