journal articles
ASSOCIATION BETWEEN ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONSUMPTION AND CEREBRAL SMALL VESSEL DISEASE BURDEN
Ben-Bo Xiong, Zi-Jie Wang, Zhi-Ming Li, Tian-Nan Yang, Xiang-Yu Li, Meng-Jie Lu, Qi Li
BACKGROUND: The relationship between alcohol consumption and cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) remains uncertain, particularly regarding drinking patterns and beverage types. We investigated how total alcohol intake, drinking frequency, and beverage-specific consumption are associated with CSVD burden using cross-sectional data.
METHODS: We included 27,326 UK Biobank (UKB) participants with MRI data, among whom 21,130 were current drinkers with full alcohol intake data. Alcohol consumption (frequency and beverage type) was self-reported. CSVD burden was measured via normalized white matter hyperintensity volume (WMHV) on T2-FLAIR MRI. Multivariable linear regression models adjusted for demographics, lifestyle, and vascular risk factors were used to examine associations.
RESULTS: Compared with non-drinkers, alcohol consumers had greater CSVD burden (Beta = 0.07; 95 % CI, 0.00–0.15). Among them, higher drinking frequency (≥5 times/week) was associated with increased CSVD burden (Beta = 0.10; 95 % CI, 0.07–0.13). High consumption of red wine, white wine/champagne, and spirits (≥7 servings/week) correlated positively with CSVD burden. In contrast, low-to-moderate beer/cider intake (≤3 servings/week) was inversely associated with burden. A dose-response relationship between total ethanol intake and CSVD burden was observed, with minimal intake (<1.97 g/day) showing a mild negative association, and higher levels increasing risk.
CONCLUSION: Greater frequency and volume of alcohol intake, especially from wine and spirits, are linked with higher CSVD burden. Conversely, low beer/cider consumption may be inversely associated with CSVD burden. These findings underscore the importance of moderating alcohol consumption to maintain cerebrovascular health.
CITATION:
Ben-Bo Xiong ; Zi-Jie Wang ; Zhi-Ming Li ; Tian-Nan Yang ; Xiang-Yu Li ; Meng-Jie Lu ; Qi Li (2025): Association between alcoholic beverage consumption and cerebral small vessel disease burden. The Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease (JPAD). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjpad.2025.100322