Risk of Dementia Linked to Number of Cigarettes Smoked Daily: Study

Islamabad (Qudrat Daily): According to a study, the risk of developing dementia is linked to the number of cigarettes smoked daily.

A scientific review covering approximately 2.8 million people found that smoking is associated with an increased risk of dementia, Alzheimer’s, and dementia caused by cerebrovascular disease, and that this risk increases as the number of cigarettes smoked daily increases.

This study, led by researchers from Curtin University in Australia, was published in the scientific journal eClinicalMedicine.

According to the study, smokers have a 31 percent higher risk of developing dementia compared to those who have never smoked. Similarly, the risk of Alzheimer’s was found to be 40 percent higher, while the risk of vascular dementia (dementia caused by cerebrovascular disease) was found to be 52 percent higher.

Researchers discovered the relationship between the number of cigarettes smoked daily and the likelihood of developing dementia. According to the study, the risk of dementia in people who smoke 10 cigarettes daily is 16 percent, while in those who smoke 20 cigarettes daily this risk increases to 34 percent.

However, the researchers clarified that the study’s findings do not prove a direct cause-and-effect relationship between smoking and dementia; rather, they add to the scientific evidence indicating that quitting smoking can help reduce the risk of this disease.