Do Wine Lovers Make
Better Thinkers?
Courtesy of
30 Second Wine Advisor
By
Robin GarrIf you feel that you've been thinking extra
sharply of late, perhaps it could be the wine talking.
Adding another data point to the growing body of studies that
link moderate wine consumption with health and longevity, British
scientists recently published a report suggesting that consumption
of beverage alcohol appears to be related with improved "cognitive
function" (thinking ability) in adults.
Researchers examined data from the Whitehall Study, an extensive
"cohort study" that followed the medical histories of about 10,000
British government workers over 11 years beginning in 1985.
At the end of the study period (1997-99), about 6,000 of the
Whitehall participants were given a battery of tests to measure
intelligence, memory, vocabulary and fluency, and the results were
compared with their reported consumption of alcohol. "Of people who
reported drinking alcohol in the past year," the researchers'
abstract says, "those who consumed at least one drink in the past
week, compared with those who did not, were significantly less
likely to have poor cognitive function."
These benefits appeared even at levels of alcohol consumption
that most sensible observers would consider excessive; in fact, the
cognitive benefits appeared greatest among the heaviest drinkers,
those drinking more than 240 grams per week, approximately 30 drinks
or five full bottles of table wine.
"The authors concluded that for middle-aged subjects, increasing
levels of alcohol consumption were associated with better function
regarding some aspects of cognition," the abstract concluded,
adding, laconically, "Nonetheless, it is not proposed that these
findings be used to encourage increased alcohol consumption."
The study, Alcohol Consumption and Cognitive Function in the
Whitehall II Study, by researchers Annie Britton, Archana Singh-
Manoux and Sir Michael Marmot of London's University College, was
announced in the Aug. 1, 2004 edition of the American Journal of
Epidemiology. It should be noted that studies of this type
demonstrate relationships among variables but don't purport to
establish the causes of those relationships. In other words, the
study does not claim to prove that drinking improves cognitive
function. Indeed, researchers noted that the relationship was
"weakened when social position was added to the model."
Still, all this provides something for us to think about -
clearly, it is to be hoped - when we lift our next glass of wine. |
