I think most people are aware that heavy drinking causes cognitive impairment and shrinkage in the brain. A new study, however, indicates that light-to-moderate drinking also causes brain volume loss, and loss begins after consumption of just one serving.

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania studied MRIs in 36,000 individuals, one of the largest sets of data. They found that going from zero to one serving of alcohol had little effect, but beginning from the switch from one to two servings, there was a noticeable effect. They say that alcohol consumption affects both gray and white matter and is similar to accelerated aging in the brain.

For more information, see a summary of the study at Neuroscience News, or the study itself, which appears in the journal Nature Communication.