According to a new study of the effects of alcohol, those who drink - even the moderate amounts linked to a decreased risk of heart disease - have smaller brain volume than non-drinkers. A two percent decline in brain volume per decade is considered a normal part of aging, however, greater amounts of shrinkage(縮小)in some parts of the brain have been linked to dementia(痴呆). The link between alcohol consumption and decreased brain volume is stronger in women, with female abstainers(禁酒家)found to have a higher brain volume than former drinkers as well as light, moderate, and heavy drinkers. In men, only heavy drinkers had a smaller brain volume than those who consumed little or no alcohol.