In this context, a research team from University College London (UCL) conducted a new study aimed at understanding the relationship between smoking and cognitive decline, using data from 9,436 people aged 40 and over from 12 countries.
The results showed that people who quit smoking showed slower declines in memory and verbal fluency tests over the six years following cessation, compared to those who continued smoking. The rate of decline in memory was found to be about 20% slower, and in verbal fluency, about 50% slower, among those who quit smoking.
The study showed that quitting smoking may help slow age-related cognitive decline, adding to evidence that quitting smoking not only benefits physical health but also supports long-term brain health and memory.
Dr. Michaela Blumberg, from the Institute of Epidemiology and Healthcare at University College London, said: “Our study suggests that quitting smoking may help individuals maintain their cognitive abilities for longer, even when they quit at or after the age of 50. We know that stopping smoking, at any age, leads to improvements in general health, and it also appears to benefit brain health.”
She added that these findings are particularly important because middle-aged and older smokers are often less likely to quit despite their greater exposure to the harmful effects of smoking.
She emphasized that providing new evidence on the cognitive benefits of smoking cessation could provide an additional incentive for this group to begin quitting, at a time when governments are seeking to address the challenges of population aging by investing in tobacco control programs.
For his part, Professor Andrew Steptoe, co-author of the study, explained that slower cognitive decline is typically associated with a lower risk of dementia. He noted that the new findings reinforce the idea that smoking cessation may be an effective preventive strategy, although further specialized research is needed to confirm this.
Commenting on the study findings, Dr. Julia Dudley, Head of Research at Alzheimer's Research UK, said: "Smoking is associated with a number of serious diseases, most notably cancer, heart disease, and dementia. Quitting smoking can significantly reduce the risk of these conditions. Although this study is observational, it provides further evidence of a link between smoking cessation and slower cognitive decline, which calls for further research to clarify other influencing factors such as socioeconomic status or alcohol consumption."
Professor Paresh Malhotra, Head of the Department of Neuroscience at Imperial College London, emphasized that "what's good for the heart and blood vessels is also good for the brain. This study shows that quitting smoking after the age of 40 is associated with improved memory and language skills, which supports the need to help everyone—regardless of age—stop smoking for good."
