# @science on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DTlw3KRk1Rr
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/48001645-science-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/54d8819c09.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-01-16T23:30:17.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Science 🧬 (@science) — https://gondola.cc/science

## Caption

Just one small glass of wine each day could lead to the onset of Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease, new research warns.⁠
Specifically, researchers from the University of Oxford say consuming just seven units of alcohol a week – half the recommended maximum – fuels iron accumulation in the brain. They add that alcohol suppresses a hormone that controls the body’s absorption of the mineral, causing poorer brain performance.⁠
⁠
_____⁠
⁠
“In the largest study to date, we found drinking greater than 7 units of alcohol weekly associated with iron accumulation in the brain. Higher brain iron, in turn, is linked to poorer cognitive performance. Iron accumulation could underlie alcohol-related cognitive decline,” says lead author Dr. Anya Topiwala from the University of Oxford in a media release.⁠
⁠
Dementia patients have been found to have higher levels of iron in some regions, including deep grey matter. The same pattern has been found in people with Parkinson’s — another brain disorder that causes tremors, stiffness, and loss of balance.⁠
Studies have connected cognitive decline to the formation of rogue proteins known as amyloid beta, which clump together and create harmful plaques that kill neurons. Iron from the blood is essential for brain functioning, but it needs to be tightly regulated.⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
#alzheimer #dementia #parkinson #science #biology

## Stats

- **Views:** 0
- **Likes:** 2,348
- **Shares:** 0
- **Comments:** 282

## Tags

science, parkinson, alzheimer, dementia, biology

---
Copyright (c) Gondola