The authors take pains to point out that alcohol is still definitely bad for you overall, and they also point out that heavy alcohol use is known to cause deme

The authors take pains to point out that alcohol is still definitely bad for you overall, and they also point out that heavy alcohol use is known to cause dementia. I'd say it's a fairly safe bet that this is a statistic artifact, and even if it isn't you still shouldn't start drinking. >While light to moderate alcohol use may reduce dementia risk, even low levels of alcohol use have been associated with reduced brain volume, grey matter atrophy and increased white matter hyperintensities [5, 44, 45], indicating that alcohol use is unlikely to be directly neuroprotective. In addition, light-to-moderate alcohol use has been associated with other health conditions, including some cancers [46], cautioning against recommending the commencement of alcohol use in those who abstain. >There is evidence from other sources, such as hospital-based studies, which indicate that heavy alcohol use and alcohol use disorders are strongly and causally associated with dementia (particularly young onset dementia) [7], as well as neurocognitive diseases where alcohol use is a contributing or necessary factor (i.e. alcohol-related dementia and Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome) [8].