ABSTRACT
Damage to DNA, lipids, and proteins by oxidative free radicals has been implicated in accelerated aging, degenerative diseases including cancer (Ames et al. 1995), Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias (Commenges et al. 2000; Smith and Perry 1995), and Parkinson’s disease (Olanow 2007), as well as cardiovascular disease. Population aging is occurring on a global scale, with faster aging projected for the coming decades than has occurred in the past (Lutz et al. 2008). Globally, the population aged 60 years and over is projected to nearly triple by 2050, while the population aged 80 years and over is projected to experience a more than vefold increase. These diseases of old age are thus expected to increase signicantly over the next few decades as people increasingly survive beyond the
Introduction ............................................................................................................ 331 J-Shaped Relationship of Alcoholic Beverages ..................................................... 332 Relationship of Alcoholic Beverages to Cognitive Function and Dementia .......... 332 Relationship of Wine to Cognitive Function and Dementia .................................. 333 Potential Mechanisms of Action for Ethanol and Wine-Derived Phenolic Compounds ............................................................................................................ 334 Hemostasis and Oxidative Stress ........................................................................... 336 Neurotransmission ................................................................................................. 337 Amyloid-β Factors and Alzheimer’s Disease......................................................... 338 Amyloid-β and APOE-Epsilon 4 Allele ................................................................. 339 Summary ................................................................................................................340 References ..............................................................................................................340
age of 80 years (Kelner and Marx 1996). Consequently, there is interest in identifying lifestyle factors and molecular mechanisms that can minimize the risk of these debilitating conditions, including simple dietary measures.
