Reuters (9/26, Rapaport) reports a long-term study published in The BMJ found that middle-aged adults who do not drink alcohol altogether and those who drink seven glasses or more per week are “both more likely than light drinkers to develop dementia in their later years.” For heavy drinkers, the article explains that “the increased risk of dementia may be directly caused by nutritional deficits and the toxic effects of alcohol in the brain, and indirectly caused by disorders that are common among heavy drinkers like diabetes, high blood pressure and stroke.” But abstinence is also linked with “a higher likelihood of having heart disease or diabetes, which explains part of the increased dementia risk.” (SOURCE: APA Headlines)