Elderly people who drink alcohol heavily appear to have more brain shrinkage, or atrophy, than those who drink lightly or not at all.

First in the world to show the reversibility of brain shrinkage and dysfunction from alcoholism with abstinence.

Their brain function was measured by MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), which took account of brain shrinkage and tissue damage to gray and white matter.

At 24 months, the tests and the scans were repeated and the researchers looked at brain shrinkage, which occurs with the disease.

Those with a mother with Alzheimer's disease had about 1.5 times more brain shrinkage per year than those with a father with the disease.

"It may be that men are better able to tolerate brain shrinkage without showing the effects," he said.

In 1987, 17 high-dose inpatient abusers of benzodiazepines have anecdotally shown enlarged cerebrospinal fluid spaces with associated brain shrinkage.

Brain shrinkage reportedly appeared to be dose dependent with low-dose users having less brain shrinkage than higher-dose users.

However, a CT study in 1987 found no evidence of brain shrinkage in prescribed benzodiazepine users.

Sept. 26, 2011 - Older people with low levels of vitamin B12 may be more prone to age-related memory declines and brain shrinkage.