Smoking is associated with a higher risk of dementia, with the likelihood of developing the condition increasing alongside daily cigarette consumption, Euronews reported, citing a study led by researchers at Australia’s Curtin University.
The study, published in eClinicalMedicine, analyzed data from approximately 2.8 million people. It found that smokers had a 31% higher risk of developing dementia than those who had never smoked. Smokers also had a 40% higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease and a 52% higher risk of vascular dementia.
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The findings also showed a link between the number of cigarettes smoked and dementia risk. People who smoked 10 cigarettes a day had a 16% higher risk of developing dementia, while those who smoked 20 faced a 34% higher risk, compared with people who had never smoked.
Former smokers did not have a significantly higher risk of dementia than people who had never smoked, suggesting that quitting may help reduce the likelihood of developing the condition.
However, the authors noted that the findings do not establish a direct causal relationship between smoking and dementia. They called for greater public awareness of smoking’s potential impact on brain health, alongside its established links to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases and cancer.
