Older smokers can still stub out the chances of getting dementia by quitting cigarettes for good, a study has found.
Research at the University College London found it’s never too late to quit after studying 4,700 smokers who stopped sparking up over the age of 40.
They compared the group who quit to another group of the same number of participants who continued smoking.
All those involved in the research smoked in the first six years and had the same brain health decline.
They later found reduced memory capacity was 20 percent slower for those who quit over the next six years, while speech deteriorated at 50 percent.
Researchers found that with each year of aging, those who quit would experience three to four months less memory loss and six months less speech decline compared to those who kept smoking.
Their evidence was consistent compared to previous studies showing adults over 65-years-old who stubbed out the habit early or during midlife have similar cognitive scores compared to those who have never smoked.
Non-smokers also have a similar risk of dementia a decade or longer after quitting.
Research at the University College London found it’s never too late to quit after studying 4700 smokers who stopped sparking up over the age of 40
The study found memory decline was 20 percent slower for those who quit over the next six years, while speech deteriorated at 50 percent
The Vaping Specialist Operations Director, Jamie Strachan said: ‘These findings send a powerful message: it is never too late to stop smoking.
‘Every step towards quitting helps protect not just your physical health, but also your memory, focus, and overall cognitive wellbeing.
‘Smoking damages blood vessels and reduces oxygen flow to the brain – processes linked to memory loss and dementia.
‘By quitting, you can help restore healthy circulation, improve oxygen supply, and reduce the risk of cognitive decline.’
Consumer Campaign group We Vape Founder, Mark Oates said, ‘This study shows how imperative it is to stop smoking, whatever your age.
‘Each and every cigarette damages your entire body, including areas of your brain that affect information processing, memory, and attention.
‘Age-related memory decline lowers quality of life and will affect millions of current smokers in the future.
‘Vaping is the most effective way to quit, with studies showing it is almost twice as effective as nicotine replacement therapy, and far safer than smoking.
Figures by the NHS show around 6 million people in the UK still smoke. Smoking also causes one in four of all cancer deaths in England and kills up to two-thirds of its long-term users
‘The Government should be more proactive in combating the enormous amount of misinformation that exists around vaping and fully endorse it as a harm reduction and cessation tool.’
Figures by the NHS show around 6 million people in the UK still smoke.
Smoking also causes one in four of all cancer deaths in England and kills up to two-thirds of its long-term users.
The Alzheimer’s Society predicts up to 1.4 million people will be living with dementia by 2040, and forecasts that the cost to the UK will be £90 billion by then.
