The study, published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, used a simple assessment to look at the link between smoking and cognitive decline, including signs such as memory loss or confusion.
This study data were collected from the 2019 National Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.
The study surveyed more than 136,000 people aged 45 and older, of whom about 11% reported subjective cognitive impairment (SCD).
This is a condition where the participant has difficulty remembering information, but not enough to be diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia.
These results provide further evidence of the link between smoking and the risk of Alzheimer's disease, said lead author Jenna Rajczyk, PhD, of the Ohio State University College of Public Health.
Dr Jenna Rajczyk, said quitting smoking may not only benefit cardiovascular and respiratory health, but also help protect neurological health. Quitting smoking between the ages of 45 and 59 has a positive effect on cognitive health.
An important part of the study was analyzing different groups of subjects, including current smokers, recent quitters, and long-term quitters.
The results showed that the rate of SCD was nearly 1.9 times higher among smokers than among non-smokers. Those who had quit smoking within 10 years had a 1.5 times higher rate of SCD; while those who had quit smoking for more than a decade had a slightly higher rate of SCD than the non-smokers.
“Therefore, the duration of smoking cessation is an important factor, and this may be related to cognitive improvement,” said Dr. Jenna Rajczyk.
Experts say the SCD could be a useful tool to detect early signs of cognitive decline, helping individuals take a more proactive role in their health care.
These findings open up opportunities to help raise awareness about the importance of quitting smoking in protecting brain health.
