Cuaderno de Odontología Revista Científica · Oct 18, 2026
Neurodegenerative effects of chronic alcohol consumption: a systematic review
By Cruz-Vera AB, Manzaba-Loor SP, Salazar-Torres MJ
OBJECTIVE: to synthesize the evidence on the neurodegenerative effects of chronic alcohol consumption. METHODS: systematic review with narrative synthesis in PubMed and SciELO (2012-2025); 15 studies were included: cohorts, neuroimaging studies, systematic and scoping reviews, and mechanism reviews. RESULTS: alcohol use disorders tripled the risk of dementia, and consumption greater than 14 units per week was associated with higher risk. Neuroimaging showed hippocampal atrophy and lower gray and white matter volume with a dose-response relationship, with no protective effect of light consumption. Neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, excitotoxicity, and thiamine deficiency explain the damage. CONCLUSIONS: chronic and heavy consumption is a modifiable risk factor for neurodegeneration and dementia.