Feeling stressed? Put down that bottle of wine!

If you’re thinking of drowning your downturn sorrows this weekend, think again – new research from the US shows excessive alcohol consumption leads to a shrinking of the brain.

If you’re thinking of drowning your downturn sorrows this weekend, think again – new research from the US shows excessive alcohol consumption leads to a shrinking of the brain.

New figures from “The association of alcohol consumption with brain volume study indicates that people who have eight to 14 drinks a week have smaller brains than those who drink less or abstained.

“While adults who drink low to moderate amounts of alcohol have lower rates of cardiovascular disease than other adults, the effect of alcohol on the brain is less clear,” the report says. “There is evidence that drinking large amounts of alcohol is related to brain atrophy. It is uncertain what the effects of low to moderate consumption might be.”

The study also found drinkers who classified their alcohol consumption as “high” had brain sizes that averaged only 77.3% of cranial volume, compared to low drinkers at 78%. Those who drank no alcohol at all averaged 78.6%.

The figures also indicate men, rather than women, were more likely to classify themselves or moderate or high level drinkers.