Moderate alcohol consumption might be good for the brain

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

A study in rats shows that a drink or two a day may improve memory.
There is some limited evidence that light to moderate alcohol consumption might help prevent Alzheimer's disease. Now researchers at Ohio State University show that lab rats given alcohol equivalent to two to three drinks a day show improved performance on two different memory tasks.

The animals were better able to recognize and explore new objects and they can also remember receiving a mild electric shock when their diet includes moderate amounts of alcohol. Examination of the animals' brain tissue shows increased amounts of a receptor called NR1 in the hippocampus in those animals given moderate doses of alcohol. This is compared to no alcohol or high alcohol consumption. The hippocampus is the part of the brain concerned with memory and learning. The findings may explain why moderate alcohol consumption has been shown, at least in some studies, to help ward off Alzheimer's disease.

Source
Society for Neuroscience conference 25th October 2006

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