New York: Smoking is a significant factor among lifestyle habits that lead to a decline in mental ability with age.
The study, published in Nature Communications, analyzed data from 32,000 adults aged 50 and over from 14 European countries. The researchers examined how rates of cognitive decline might vary among mentally healthy older adults with different combinations of behaviors, including smoking, physical activity, alcohol consumption, and social ties.
They found that cognitive decline was faster in those who had smoking habits, while the rate of cognitive decline was similar in other non-smokers. The exception, however, were smokers who maintained a healthy lifestyle in other areas as well, such as regular exercise, abstinence from alcohol and maintaining regular social contacts. In this group, the rate of cognitive decline was the same as in non-smokers
