Stopping smoking may be linked to a reduced risk of developing dementia, researchers said this week.
American adults who quit during a decade-long study of 32,800 participants had a 16 percent lower risk for the chronic condition than people who continued smoking. The benefit was even more pronounced for people who quit smoking and did not gain weight after quitting.
Those who gained 22 or more pounds after quitting did not experience a reduced risk, but people who gained up to 11 pounds saw benefits.
“Our findings suggest that quitting smoking may support long‑term brain health, but they also highlight that what happens after quitting matters,” Hui Chen, a researcher at Zhejiang University School of Medicine in China, explained in a statement.
The study, published in the journal Neurology, used data collected as part of the University of Michigan’s U.S. Health and Retirement Study.
Study participants were interviewed every two years about their smoking status, body weight and health.
Nearly 6,000 people developed dementia, which the researchers tested by checking their memory and thinking abilities and asking the people around them about their health.
The rate of smokers developing dementia was higher than that of those who quit during the study. People who had quit had risk levels similar to those of people who never smoked.
Still, the researchers stress that the study does not prove quitting smoking is directly responsible for reduced dementia risk - it only “shows an association. That may be partially because participants reported their own smoking habits and weight.
“Future research is needed to better understand how weight management and other lifestyle factors can help people maximize the cognitive benefits of quitting smoking as they age,” said Chen.
The findings add to December research showing similar results in middle-aged adults and past studies that found quitting smoking can reduce the risk for lung disease, which is a risk factor for dementia.
There is no cure for dementia, which robs people of their memories, personality and ability to communicate.
Dementia is also a leading cause of death, resulting in more than 450,000 deaths each year. Dementia cases are also projected to nearly double to 13 million cases by 2050, due to environmental impacts and lifestyle choices, as well as an aging American population.
While the U.S. cigarette smoking rate is at an all-time low, more than 49 million American adults still use tobacco products.
Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death and disease, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
