A new study conducted by researchers from King’s College London, and just published in the journal Age and Ageing, has found that smoking “rots” the brain by damaging memory, learning and reasoning.

The study, comprising of 8 870 people over the age of 50, showed “high blood pressure and being overweight also seemed to affect the brain, but to a lesser extent.” The study was carried out over an eight-year period, with participants retested at four-year intervals.

Essentially, the message is that not only does smoking damage the body, but it also damages the mind. Their overall objective was to “explore the association between cardiovascular risk and cognitive decline in adults aged 50 and over.”

Says Dr Alex Dregan, one of the researchers involved:

Cognitive decline becomes more common with ageing and for an increasing number of people interferes with daily functioning and well-being. We have identified a number of risk factors which could be associated with accelerated cognitive decline, all of which, could be modifiable. We need to make people aware of the need to do some lifestyle changes because of the risk of cognitive decline.

Dr Simon Ridley, from Alzheimer’s Research UK, added:

Research has repeatedly linked smoking and high blood pressure to a greater risk of cognitive decline and dementia, and this study adds further weight to that evidence. Cognitive decline as we age can develop into dementia, and unravelling the factors that are linked to this decline could be crucial for finding ways to prevent the condition. These results underline the importance of looking after your cardiovascular health from mid-life.

While the study didn’t exclusively focus on smoking, it did say that a “consistent association” between smoking and lower scores in the tests existed.

The Alzheimer’s Society agreed:

We all know smoking, a high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels and a high BMI [Body Mass Index] is bad for our heart. This research adds to the huge amount of evidence that also suggests they can be bad for our head too. One in three people over 65 will develop dementia but there are things people can do to reduce their risk. Eating a balanced diet, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, getting your blood pressure and cholesterol checked and not smoking can all make a difference.

[Source: BBC]