Associations between moderate alcohol consumption, brain iron, and cognition in UK Biobank participants: Observational and mendelian randomization analyses.
Anya TopiwalaChaoyue WangKlaus P EbmeierStephen BurgessSteven BellDaniel F LeveyHang ZhouCeleste McCrackenAdriana Roca-FernándezSteffen Erhard PetersenBetty RamanMasud HusainJoel GelernterKarla L MillerStephen M SmithThomas E NicholsPublished in: PLoS medicine (2022)
To the best of our knowledge, this study represents the largest investigation of moderate alcohol consumption and iron homeostasis to date. Alcohol consumption above 7 units weekly associated with higher brain iron. Iron accumulation represents a potential mechanism for alcohol-related cognitive decline.