A new study published in Nature Communications has established a correlation between smoking cessation and cognitive function in aging adults. the study tracked 32,000 adults aged 50 to 104 for up to 15 years, analysing 16 lifestyle combinations to isolate smoking’s effects on cognitive decline
Smoking cessation helps adults maintain cognitive function
The findings revealed a consistent trend whereby non-smokers exhibited slower rates of cognitive decline compared to smokers, irrespective of other lifestyle factors. Dr. Mikaela Bloomberg from University College London emphasized the importance of not smoking in preserving cognitive function. She noted, that their findings suggest that among the healthy behaviors they examined, smoking cessation was among the most important in terms of maintaining cognitive function.
The study drew data from two major aging studies, the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) and the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), both providing extensive data on health, lifestyle, and cognitive function of older adults. Researchers focused on four key lifestyle factors: smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, and social contact, creating 16 unique lifestyle profiles.
To assess cognitive function, participants underwent memory and verbal fluency tests at various intervals. Study results consistently underscored smoking as a critical factor in accelerating cognitive decline, regardless of other lifestyle habits.
Smoking leads to verbal fluency and memory decline
Over a 10-year period, smokers exhibited significantly higher declines in memory and verbal fluency scores compared to non-smokers. Even among smokers who adhered to other healthy behaviors, such as moderate drinking, regular exercise, and frequent social interaction, cognitive decline remained more pronounced than in non-smokers.
While moderate alcohol consumption showed some protective effects against cognitive decline compared to heavy drinking, the impact was minor compared to smoking. Interestingly, regular physical activity and social engagement did not independently correlate with significant differences in cognitive decline in this study.
Therefore, uitting smoking is crucial for preserving cognitive function in older age due to Alzheimer’s disease’s early stages. While other healthy habits like exercise and social interaction offer overall health benefits, their direct impact on cognitive decline is less significant than quitting smoking.
