Alcohol Dementia

Alcohol dementia is a form of dementia caused by long-term, excessive drinking, resulting in neurological damage and impaired mental processing. In general, dementia occurs in people older than 65, and is a common cause of mental dysfunction. Dementia begins gradually, and progress slowly.

Alcohol-Related Dementia (ARD) is currently the preferred medical term, and it covers the two main forms of alcohol induced dementia:

Alcohol (or Alcoholic) Dementia ·impaired planning and apathy mimicking depression ·caused by alcohol's toxic effect on brain cells Wet Brain (Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome) ·short term memory loss ·caused by a lack of thiamine (vitamin B1) due to alcohol abuse

ARD patients often have symptoms of both forms, i.e. impaired ability to plan, apathy, and memory loss.

ARD may occur with other forms of dementia (mixed dementia). The diagnosis of ARD is widely recognized but rarely applied, due to a lack of specific diagnostic criteria.

Treatment is similar for both forms of ARD:

·reduction or cessation of drinking ·vitamin B replacement

Alcohol-related dementia is a broad term currently preferred among medical professionals. Many experts use the terms alcohol (or alcoholic) dementia to describe a specific form of ARD, characterized by impaired executive function (planning, thinking, and judgment). Another form of ARD is known as wet brain (see Wet Brain below), characterized by short term memory loss and thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency.

On many non-medical websites, the terms are often used interchangeably, creating significant confusion. Additionally, the term Alcohol Induced Persistent Dementia is another non-specific name that is sometimes used.

Epidemiological studies show an association between long term alcohol intoxication and dementia. Alcohol can damage the brain directly as a neurotoxin, or it can damage it indirectly by causing malnutrition, primarily a loss of thiamine (vitamin B1). Alcohol abuse is common in older persons, and alcohol related dementia is under-diagnosed. While moderate alcohol consumption (up to four glasses of wine per day) has been shown to protect against dementia, higher rates of consumption increase the chances of getting it.