Great news for people who like alcohol. A new study has found that alcohol consumption after you hit 60 helps your memory.  I know how I’ll be spending my retirement! It’s not quite as bacchanalian as it sounds. You’re not supposed to get wasted. In the study researchers from University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, University of Kentucky, and University of Maryland, looked at the medical history of 660 patients in the Framingham Heart Study Offspring Cohort in Massachusetts and gave them a battery of tests. The results, published in the American Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias, demonstrated that light alcohol consumption is linked with higher episodic memory– the ability to recall memories of events– while moderate alcohol consumption correlated with a larger volume of the hippocampus, which is a part of the brain related to episodic memory. The findings only apply to people who do not have dementia. And, of course, moderation is key as too much drinking impairs brain functioning. Too much, scientifically and medically speaking, means five or more alcoholic beverages during a single drinking occasion. For example, a University of Exeter Medical School study saw that older adults who had drinking problems when middle-aged were twice as likely to have memory and cognitive issues as people without a history of drinking problems. Now enjoy these Lucille Bluth GIFs demonstrating how we should spend our golden years. Do not drink any more than four drinks at a time while doing this.

Originally posted on RawStory