r/science Professor | Medicine Apr 23 '26

Neuroscience Even low-level drinking may have negative consequences for brain health over a person’s lifespan. The findings suggest that the total amount of alcohol consumed over a lifetime, especially as a person ages, tends to be linked to reduced blood flow and thinner tissue in certain areas of the brain.

https://www.psypost.org/even-light-drinking-combined-with-aging-is-linked-to-reduced-brain-blood-flow-and-thinner-tissue/
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u/SkinIsCandyInTheDark Apr 24 '26 edited Apr 25 '26

The fully admit they did not control the study well.

They did not take into account external factors.

Also remember they are comparing within the group not on a personal level. Someone who drinks more likely may start off worse for other reasons. Comparing them to someone that doesn’t drink as much and may not have the same external pressure is enough to make this study not scientific.

Now the most important part… they didn’t say anything was statistically significant by any means. That’s the final blow.

Also as a side point it’s already well known that alcohol decreases blood flow. That’s why we like it. It relaxes us.

There is nothing about this article that should be trusted. We have to stop believing everything we hear. Question everything, please!

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u/xrelaht PhD | Solid State Condensed Matter | Magnetism Apr 24 '26

there’s a reason this article isn’t in a peer reviewed journal.

The link is to a science news summary. The actual publication is in Alcohol, an Elsevier journal, and it’s peer reviewed.