In the run-up to UK No Smoking Day on March 8, a top North East NHS consultant has warned of the connection between lighting up a fag and dementia - and said it's especially vital that people in middle-age stop smoking now.
Dr Charlotte Allan - lead consultant at the Newcastle memory assessment and management service - told ChronicleLive how it was concerning that only one in five people knew the link between cigarettes and dementia. Speaking as part of a renewed push from campaign group Fresh to encourage people to ditch smoking, Dr Allan highlighted how people in the 40s and 50s should stop now to reduce their dementia risk.
Dr Allan said this was a key thing people worried about developing dementia could do to reduce their risk. They can do this by staying active and keeping their brains busy - but kicking the smoking habit will also stop the scary impact the chemicals involved can cause.
