Heavy Drinking Linked to Earlier, Larger Brain Bleeds in Mass General Study

Overview

• The retrospective analysis of 1,600 intracerebral hemorrhage cases at Massachusetts General Hospital (2003–2019) was published in Neurology on November 5, 2025.
• Heavy use, defined as three or more drinks daily, was reported by 7% of patients and was associated with bleeds about 70% larger at an average presentation age of 64 versus 75.
• Heavy drinkers were roughly twice as likely to have deep brain hemorrhages or bleeding that extended into the ventricles, patterns linked to worse recovery.
• On admission, heavy users showed higher blood pressure, lower platelet counts, and greater evidence of cerebral small‑vessel damage on imaging.
• Even two drinks per day correlated with younger onset, though exposure was self‑reported in a mostly white, single‑center cohort that cannot prove causation, and investigators recommend limiting alcohol to no more than three drinks per week.