Can alcoholism be a cause of dementia?

Over time, excessive consumption of alcohol may damage your brain, increasing your risk of dementia. In moderation, however, drinking alcohol has not been conclusively linked to a significantly increased risk of dementia, nor has it been demonstrated that it offers significant protection against dementia. As a result, people who do not drink alcohol now should not be encouraged to start to reduce dementia risk.
On the other hand, those who drink alcohol within the recommended guidelines are not advised to stop drinking to reduce their dementia risk, although cutting back on alcohol consumption may have other health benefits.