People should do this as soon as they can.
A recent study conducted by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis found a significant link between cigarette smoking and brain shrinkage. This shrinkage has been associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease.
The study revealed that ceasing smoking at any point halted further loss of gray matter in the brain. However, the brain did not regain its original mass after experiencing shrinkage due to smoking.
While the detrimental effects of smoking on the lungs and heart have long been recognized, there has been less research on its impact on the brain. Dr. Laura J. Bierut, leading the research team at WashUMed’s Health & Behavior Research Center, aimed to bridge this gap in understanding the harmful effects of smoking.
The study, published in Biological Psychiatry: Global Open Science, highlighted previous research showing a heightened risk of dementia among smokers. Approximately 14% of Alzheimer’s cases may be linked to smoking.
Untangling the connection between brain shrinkage and smoking involves considering both behavioral and genetic factors. Genetics can influence both brain shrinkage and the inclination to smoke, with nearly half of the inclination to smoke attributed to genetics.
Analyzing data from the UK Biobank involving 32,094 participants of European descent and their brain-imaging data, the study compared brain scans of individuals who smoked heavily with those who never smoked or smoked minimally. The findings indicated greater brain shrinkage in heavy smokers, a condition associated with the loss of neurons and their connections, impacting brain functionality.
Dr. Bierut emphasized that smoking introduces various harmful chemicals into the body, leading to chronically lower oxygen levels in the blood, which can starve the brain of oxygen, accelerating brain aging.
Dr. Dung Trinh from the Healthy Brain Clinic in Long Beach, CA, highlighted smoking’s vascular damage, reducing blood flow to the brain, causing cell death and atrophy. Additionally, the oxidative stress and inflammatory effects of smoking damage brain cells and supporting structures, compounded by the neurotoxicity of certain cigarette chemicals.
Both Dr. Bierut and Dr. Trinh stressed the importance of quitting smoking for overall health. Dr. Bierut emphasized that quitting, even later in life, yields health benefits, while Dr. Trinh emphasized the critical impact on developing brains, urging young individuals to steer clear of smoking due to its potential long-term harm.
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