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Research shows
smoking doubles the
risk of getting
dementia in
old age...
Research from the US shows that smoking in
middle age more than doubles the risk of
alzheimers disease and other dementia later in life, according to one of the first long-term studies that have examined this issue.
Smoking definately has a clear effect on heart and lungs, but whether it also damaged the brain has been controversial. After looking at other factors that can contribute to dementia - such as race, age, diabetes, heart disease and substance abuse, the study published in the
ARCHIVES OF INTERNAL MEDICINE recently found a significant link with heavy smoking at middle age.
Compared with non-smokers, those who smoked two packs a day or more had a 114 % increased risk of dementia (more than double), while those who smoked a half pack to one pack had a 37% increased risk. Middle aged former smokers did not appear to have an increased risk of later dementia.
Researchers in
Finland and
Sweden followed 21,123 middle-aged members of a health plan who took part in a survey between 1978 and 1985
.
The subjects were then followed for an average of 23 years. Giving up smoking appeared to improve chances of avoiding increased chances of getting dementia in old age.
Acknowledgements:
Los Angeles Time
http://huttriver.blog.co.uk
http://huttshealthhub.blogspot.co.uk
Image by rjs1322 via Flickr
