TY  - JOUR
A1  - Jeglinski-Mende, Melinda A.
T1  - Alcohol in the aging brain
BT  - the interplay between alcohol consumption, cognitive decline and the cardiovascular system
JF  - Frontiers in neuroscience
N2  - As our society grows older new challenges for medicine and healthcare emerge. Age-related changes of the body have been observed in essential body functions, particularly in the loco-motor system, in the cardiovascular system and in cognitive functions concerning both brain plasticity and changes in behavior. Nutrition and lifestyle, such as nicotine intake and chronic alcohol consumption, also contribute to biological changes in the brain. This review addresses the effect of alcohol consumption on cognitive decline, changes in brain plasticity in the aging brain and on cardiovascular health in aging. Thus, studies on the interplay of chronic alcohol intake and either cognitive decline or cognitive preservation are outlined. Because of the inconsistency in the literature of whether alcohol consumption preserves cognitive functions in the aging brain or whether it accelerates cognitive decline, it is crucial to consider individual contributing factors such as culture, health and lifestyle in future studies.
KW  - cognitive decline
KW  - neuroplasticity
KW  - AUD
KW  - alcohol consumption
KW  - aging brain
Y1  - 2019
U6  - https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2019.00713
SN  - 1662-453X
VL  - 13
PB  - Frontiers Research Foundation
CY  - Lausanne
ER  -