Although heavy alcohol consumption has been identified as a risk factor for adverse cognitive functioning, it currently remains unclear whether moderate alcohol consumption exerts similar effects. Observational studies previously reported the potential benefits of moderate alcohol consumption on cognition, particularly in the elderly; however, these effects have not yet been demonstrated in Asian populations. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between alcohol consumption levels and global and domain-specific cognitive functions in cognitively intact elderly Japanese men. Cross-sectional data from the Shiga Epidemiological Study of Subclinical Atherosclerosis (SESSA), an ongoing prospective, population-based study in Shiga, Japan, were used to examine the relationship between alcohol consumption and cognitive function. Men (n = 585) aged ≥65 years provided information on their weekly consumption of alcohol, and the data obtained were used to construct categories of never, ex- (quit before interview), very light (<14 g/day), light (14-23 g/day), moderate (>23-46 g/day), and heavy (>46 g/day) drinkers. Cognitive function was measured using the Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (CASI). A fractional logistic regression model adjusted for age, education, body mass index, smoking, exercise, hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia showed that the CASI scores for global and domain-specific cognitive functions were not significantly different between all subgroups of current drinkers and never-drinkers. However, the CASI score of ex-drinkers (multivariable adjusted mean CASI score [SD]) was significantly lower than that of never-drinkers in the global [never vs. ex: 90.16 (2.21) vs. 88.26 (2.58)] and abstraction and judgment domain [never vs. ex: 9.48 (0.46) vs. 8.61 (0.57)]). The present results do not suggest any beneficial or adverse relationship between current alcohol consumption levels and cognitive functioning (both global and domain specific) in elderly Japanese men; however, low cognitive function among ex-drinkers warrants future investigations to identify the factors causing drinkers to quit.

中文翻译：

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日本老年人中的饮酒和认知功能。

尽管大量饮酒已被确定为不良认知功能的危险因素，但目前尚不清楚中度饮酒是否会产生类似的作用。先前的观察性研究报道了适量饮酒对认知有潜在的好处，尤其是在老年人中。但是，这些影响尚未在亚洲人群中得到证实。本研究的目的是调查日本完好无损的老年男性饮酒水平与整体和特定领域的认知功能之间的关系。在日本滋贺市进行的一项基于人群的前瞻性，基于人群的前瞻性研究，来自滋贺县亚临床动脉粥样硬化的志贺流行病学研究（SESSA）的横断面数据用于研究饮酒与认知功能之间的关系。年龄≥65岁的男性（n = 585）提供了其每周饮酒的信息，并且所获得的数据用于构建从不，不（面试前退出），极轻（<14 g /天），轻（14-23克/天），中度（> 23-46克/天）和重度（> 46克/天）饮酒者。使用认知能力筛选仪（CASI）测量认知功能。对年龄，教育程度，体重指数，吸烟，运动，高血压，糖尿病和血脂异常进行调整的分数逻辑回归模型表明，当前饮酒者所有亚组的整体和特定领域认知功能的CASI评分均无显着差异，并且从未-饮料。然而，饮酒者的CASI得分（多变量调整后平均CASI得分[SD]）显着低于从未饮酒者的CASI评分[从不与以前：90.16（2.21）与88.26（2.58）]以及抽象和判断域[从不对前：9.48（0.46）对8.61（0.57）]）。目前的研究结果表明，日本老年男性目前的饮酒水平与认知功能（整体性和领域性）之间没有任何有利或不利的关系。然而，前饮酒者的认知功能低下，需要进行进一步的研究，以确定导致饮酒者戒烟的因素。目前的结果并未表明日本老年男性当前饮酒水平与认知功能（整体性和领域性）之间存在任何有利或不利关系；然而，前饮酒者的认知功能低下，需要进行进一步的研究，以确定导致饮酒者戒烟的因素。目前的结果并未表明日本老年男性当前饮酒水平与认知功能（整体性和领域性）之间有任何有益或不利的关系。然而，前饮酒者的认知功能低下，需要进行进一步的研究，以确定导致饮酒者戒烟的因素。