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Binge Drinking Could Fuel Dementia 'Epidemic'
Up to a quarter of UK dementia cases may be booze-linked
By Matt Cantor
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Posted May 10, 09 12:49 PM CDT
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(Newser)
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It’s no secret that drinking kills brain cells—but doctors in Britain now fear an “epidemic” of brain damage from binge drinking, the Guardian reports. Up to a quarter of dementia cases in the UK may be brought on by heavy drinking, they say, noting that some people could begin having major memory trouble in their 40s. And the threat to women is greater than it is to men.
“People think that dementia is something that happens to people over 65. But a lot of those under 65 have got cognitive problems and a large proportion of the problems in that group are related to alcohol,” said the author of a study.