According to a report in the research journal Neurology, people who imbibe eight or more alcoholic drinks a week have an increased risk of hyaline arteriolosclerosis, or a thickening and narrowing of the small arteries that feed the brain.

Researchers defined one drink as having 14 grams of alcohol. That's about 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits.

Heavy drinkers had 133% higher odds of having brain lesions than those who never drank, results show.

Likewise, former heavy drinkers had 89% higher odds of brain lesions, while moderate drinkers who imbibed seven or fewer drinks a week had a 60% increased risk, researchers said.

Heavy drinkers also had an increased risk of developing tau tangles, 41% higher than non-drinkers, results show.

Former heavy drinking also was associated with brain shrinkage and worse cognitive abilities, researchers said.

Finally, heavy drinkers died an average 13 years earlier than those who never drank, researchers found.

Researchers have found that, compared to European Americans, African Americans report later initiation of drinking, lower rates of use, and lower levels of use across almost all age groups. Nevertheless, African Americans also have higher levels of alcohol problems than European Americans.

Source: UPI