Greater alcohol intake predicts accelerated brain aging in humans, which mediates the relationship between alcohol intake and behavioral inflexibility

• DOI: 10.1111/acer.15534
• Publication Date: 2025-02-22T15:00:13Z
• Authors: Jillian T. Battista; Elena Vidrascu; Madeline M. Rober...; Donita L. Robinson; Charlotte A. Boet...
• Keywords: Cognitive flexibility; Healthy aging; Association (psychology); Brain Aging

Abstract Background Hazardous use of alcohol is associated with cognitive‐behavioral impairments and accelerated aging. To date, however, brain aging has not been tested as a mediating factor between task‐based behavioral deficits, such inflexibility. Here, we evaluated hazardous predictor machine learning‐derived if this measure accounted for the relationship flexibility. Methods In secondary analysis, applied brainageR , learning algorithm, to anatomical T1‐weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images estimate age sample healthy adults (ages 22–40) who self‐reported disorder identification test (AUDIT) performed hidden association task (HABIT), flexibility task. Behavioral inflexibility was quantified proportion perseverative errors on HABIT habitual action selection. We then analyzed AUDIT score aging, Lastly, conducted mediation analysis evaluate mediator Results Controlling chronological sex, higher predicted significantly more which further HABIT. Moreover, mediated scores Conclusions Our findings demonstrate that significant even in young adulthood. addition, our suggest changes may mechanistically link impaired Future studies should also explore factors, other lifestyle behaviors, mitigate alcohol‐ age‐related processes.