A lot of people enjoy an adult beverage now and then (some of them more than others). Did you ever wonder, though, if one was worse for you? I know that thought never has crossed my mind, but apparently it occurred to some researchers and so they set about to look into it.In a new study published in the journal Alcohol and Alcoholism, scientists scanned the brains of people diagnosed with alcoholism and found differences in the size of the hippocampus. That's the area of the brain responsible for spatial tasks and memory. Beer drinkers came out with the least damage, followed by those who preferred spirits and wine, respectively.
"The size of the hippocampus was largest in the healthy group – 3.85ml. In beer drinkers it was 3.4ml, while the average for spirit drinkers was 2.9ml, and for wine drinkers, 2.8ml."
Of course there are a lot of other factors that could have played a part here, and this is only very early research. The study does suggest that beer is either less bad for your brain or that it protects your brain a little more than the other beverages. What do you think? Is this all hogwash, or is beer better?
[Via Real Beer]
A fraking amazing Battlestar Galactica cake
Iced Tea 101
Pierogies + cheese + onions + kraut = Parmageddon!
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
3-19-2008 @ 4:49PM
Iscariote said...
"Which is causes less damage to your brain, wine or beer?"
Been drinking a lot lately?
Reply
3-19-2008 @ 8:19PM
boss sauce said...
What I want to know is which causes more brain growth in light to moderate drinkers.
As for the headline... I think that's whiskey...:)
Reply
3-20-2008 @ 12:40AM
Brad said...
Well, to stir the pot a bit - the NYTimes is reporting that some researchers have said there appears to be a negative relationship between the amount of beer one drinks, and an academic's (e.g. professor's) quality and quantity of publications.
Here's the link:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/18/science/18beer.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
Reply
3-20-2008 @ 3:30PM
Ricardo said...
This is hogwash - everything else in alcoholic drinks have such a small comparative effect compared to the effects of alcohol on all tissue. Its like trying to argue one flavour of rat poison is less deadly than another. This is a food blog, not a biopsychology blog.
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