Adults are more likely to “maintain better cognitive health” if they quit smoking, new evidence has underscored.
A recent study from University College London (UCL) has found that quitting smoking later in life is also associated with slower cognitive decline.
During the trial, the team of researchers analysed the health data and cognitive ability of 9,436 middle-aged adults in 12 countries. Each participant underwent memory tests.
They discovered that the participants who quit smoking performed better in the cognitive tests compared to those who carried on smoking.
Participants who quit smoking slowed their cognitive decline by 20%, the research study has reported.
Prior findings have suggested that quitting smoking can prevent the development of dementia, but more trials are needed to confirm this.
First author Dr Mikaela Bloomberg said: “Our study suggests that quitting smoking may help people to maintain better cognitive health over the long term even when we are in our 50s or older when we quit.
“We already know that quitting smoking, even later in life, is often followed by improvements in physical health and wellbeing. It seems that, for our cognitive health too, it is never too late to quit.”
Dr Bloomberg added: “This finding is especially important because middle-aged and older smokers are less likely to try to quit than younger groups, yet they disproportionately experience the harms of smoking.
“Evidence that quitting may support cognitive health could offer new compelling motivation for this group to try and quit smoking. Also, as policymakers wrestle with the challenges of an aging population, these findings provide another reason to invest in tobacco control.”
According to experts, smoking can harm the brain by damaging blood vessels that supply oxygen to the brain.
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In addition, smoking causes chronic inflammation and damages brain cells through oxidative stress due to the creation of unstable molecules called free radicals, the results have revealed.
Joint author Professor Andrew Steptoe said: “Slower cognitive decline is linked to lower dementia risk.
“These findings add to evidence suggesting that quitting smoking might be preventative strategy for the disease. However, further research will be needed that specifically examines dementia to confirm this.”
Read more in the journal The Lancet Healthy Longevity.
