Alcohol consumption effects on episodic memory across the adult lifespan

Abstract The aim of the present study was to establish whether moderate alcohol intake relates to episodic memory accuracy and speed in a lifespan sample after classifying individuals as lifetime nondrinkers and drinkers and controlling for several demographic and biological variables. A sample of 1,557 healthy adults between 21 and 80 years of age participated in the study. Alcohol consumption was assessed through a lifestyle questionnaire created for the study. Episodic memory performance was measured through a computerized task that allowed us to reliably measure recollection, the most vulnerable process within episodic memory as age advances. Recollection accuracy was superior in drinkers than in nondrinkers. Hierarchical regression models demonstrated that the total alcohol intake and the amount of alcohol and wine intake were associated with higher recollection. Beer drinkers showed more accurate and faster responses in recollection and recognition than spirit drinkers and nondrinkers. Higher performance on recollection and recognition accuracy was reached with 150 g of alcohol per week for women and men, which corresponded to 11 drinks per week. However, after 450 g of alcohol per week (32 drinks per week), the association of alcohol consumption with episodic memory became negative, and memory performance declined more than that observed in nondrinkers. Therefore, we found that across the entire adult lifespan, compared with alcohol abstinence, only moderate alcohol intake is associated with high episodic memory performance.