Open AccessAssociations of Binge Drinking With Vascular Brain Injury and Atrophy in Older American Indians: The Strong Heart Study
Author(s) -
Jordan Lewis,
Astrid SuchyDicey,
Carolyn Noonan,
Valarie Blue Bird Jernigan,
Jason G. Umans,
Kimiko DomotoReilly,
Dedra Buchwald,
Spero M. Manson
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of aging and health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.041
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1552-6887
pISSN - 0898-2643
DOI - 10.1177/08982643211013696
Subject(s) - binge drinking , medicine , cohort , population , atrophy , cohort study , injury prevention , psychiatry , poison control , environmental health
Objectives: American Indians (AIs) generally consume less alcohol than the US general population; however, the prevalence of alcohol use disorder is higher. This is the first large cohort study to examine binge drinking as a risk factor for vascular brain injury (VBI). Methods: We used linear and Poisson regression to examine the association of self-reported binge drinking with VBI, measured via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), in 817 older AIs who participated in the Strong Heart and Cerebrovascular Disease and Its Consequences in American Indians studies. Results: Any binge drinking at multiple time-points was associated with increased sulcal (β = 0.360, 95% CI [0.079, 0.641]) and ventricle dilatation (β = 0.512, 95% CI [0.174, 0.850]) compared to no binge drinking. Discussion: These observed associations are consistent with previous findings. Identifying how binge drinking may contribute to VBI in older AIs may suggest modifiable health behaviors for neurological risk reduction and disease prevention.