In the same issue of The Week there is a brief article about the effect of smoking on cognitive function. Researchers analyzed brain scans of over 500 smokers, non smokers and former smokers. Average age was 73 years old. The conclusion was that smoking may cause thinning of the cortex, the outer layer of the brain responsible for memory, language and perception. The more a person smoked the thinner the cortex became. Even quitting did not stop the continued decline in cognitive activity and memory, the effects which can continue for decades.
Thinning of the cortex can cause balance problems, Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia.
People who stopped smoking did recover some cortical thickness although it did not appear to reverse the damage entirely.
Lead author of the article about the study was Dr. Sherif Karama of McGill University and the article was reported in the New York Daily News. If you are looking for ammunition to convince someone to stop smoking, this would be a good weapon in your armamentarium.
Thinning of the cortex can cause balance problems, Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia.
People who stopped smoking did recover some cortical thickness although it did not appear to reverse the damage entirely.
Lead author of the article about the study was Dr. Sherif Karama of McGill University and the article was reported in the New York Daily News. If you are looking for ammunition to convince someone to stop smoking, this would be a good weapon in your armamentarium.
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