According to a study conducted by the University of Rochester Medical Center (USA), it appears to have a clearly positive effectin the case of the mind.
This house of studies determined that “we have observed for the first time that alcohol in low doses is potentially beneficial for brain health, by improving the ability of our brain to get rid of ‘junk'”.
In a more technical explanation, it was stated that “the authors focused on the ‘glymphatic’ system, that is, the mechanism used by the brain – and the central nervous system (CNS) in general – to ‘take out its garbage.’ Cerebrospinal fluid is pumped into brain tissue, and as it exits, it carries debris in its path, including tau protein and beta-amyloid protein, associated with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.”
The study aimed to assess the impact of both acute and chronic alcohol consumption on the glymphatic system. And for this, the authors analyzed the brains of an animal model – mice – to which they administered high amounts of alcohol for a long period of time. The authors observed that, as a consequence of this abuse of ethanol, the cognitive and motor abilities of the animals were significantly reduced.
AND THE MODERATE CONSUMPTION?
But what if the amount of ethanol is reduced to ‘moderate’ levels? For example, at 2.5 units of alcohol per day, one unit being the equivalent of a glass of wine or a pint of beer? Well, according to the results, the animals exposed to moderate consumption showed less brain inflammation and a more efficient glymphatic system at the time of ‘pumping’ the cerebrospinal fluid and cleaning the waste than the mice that were denied every drop of alcohol. –the usual ‘control group’.
In short, the new evidence concludes that moderate alcohol consumption exerts a protective effect against cognitive deterioration and, therefore, against dementia. Low doses of alcohol seem to improve the overall health of our brains.
More notes about our brain and mental health
Brain: what Harvard recommends to improve your memory
5 foods that boost the brain
6 drinks that boost the brain
8 tips to increase brain power
What time does the brain work best?
5 games and activities to keep the brain active
Train your brain to come up with clever answers
Source: Ambito
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