home
RSS
Smoking boosts risk for Alzheimer's
October 25th, 2010
04:52 PM ET

Smoking boosts risk for Alzheimer's

Here's yet another reason to stop smoking: It elevates the risk of Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia, according to a new study.

An analysis of more than 20,000 men and women found a 157 percent heightened risk of Alzheimer's disease in people who had smoked more than two packs of cigarettes a day. For vascular dementia, the second most common form of dementia, these smokers had a 172 percent increased risk.

"Dementia is a disease that crops up in late life, and that becomes clinically apparent, but I think people really need to think about risk factors for it over the life course," said Rachel Whitmer, study co-author and research scientist with Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland, California.

The study, sponsored by Kaiser Permanente, is published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Researchers say the association between smoking and various forms of dementia is strong, but they do not know exactly why. It has been shown before that people who smoke are more likely to have hypertension and cerebral vascular disease, as well as inflammation, Whitmer said. Smoking may contribute to the damage of brain blood vessels in addition to brain cells, she said.

The data came from Kaiser Permanente Northern California members surveyed between 1978 and 1985. At that time, they were between ages 50 and 60. Diagnoses of various forms of dementia among these people were made from 1994 to 2008, and researchers took that information from electronic health records. The participants in this study were all alive and still members of the health plan in 1994.

Researchers found that associations with the development of the disease are more modest among smokers who use up fewer than two packs a day, but still significant. Those who smoked a half-pack to one pack a day had an overall 37 percent elevated risk of dementia, and those who smoked between one and two packs had a 44 percent heightened risk, compared to non-smokers.

But this could be an underestimation, because some smokers who would have developed dementia died before diagnosis, said Kenneth Hepburn, associate dean for research at the Emory University School of Nursing, who was not involved in the study.

The reported risk of dementia among heavy smokers is also likely an underestimation because many of those people will die before they're old enough to develop dementia, he said.

While the elevated risk for various forms of dementia was shown for those smoking two packs a day in midlife, smoking less than half a pack of cigarettes a day, or having smoked in the past, did not appear to raise the risk compared with nonsmokers.

Hepburn found the study compelling, and noted that it incorporated an ethnically diverse population of both men and women.

"This gives great confidence in saying this kind of heavy smoking has some kind of association – and it looks like a fairly strong association – with the development of the disease," he said.

One limitation of the study is that researchers collected data only about smoking habits among middle-aged people; it did not look at what happened among those who had quit after the initial survey, Whitmer said.

The research speaks to what the Alzheimer's Association Maintain Your Brain campaign is promoting: that brain health has a lot to do with overall health, Hepburn said.

"The brain is part of the body, it’s part of the whole and if you assault parts, it’s going to have an impact on the whole," he said.


soundoff (2,459 Responses)
  1. Jadwiga Muscente

    There is certainly a great deal to find out about this topic. I really like all of the points you made.

    https://www.reddit.com/user/axonproperties

    May 2, 2022 at 06:25 | Report abuse | Reply
    • Cazz Boylan

      Thanks to Dr.mack201@gmail. com I am free from HERPES ………………

      March 7, 2023 at 05:06 | Report abuse |
  2. Natacha Engwer

    I quite like reading through a post that can make people think. Also, thank you for allowing for me to comment!

    https://flipboard.com/@ConnellyTeam

    May 2, 2022 at 09:44 | Report abuse | Reply
  3. Ed Archambeault

    This excellent website certainly has all the information I needed concerning this subject and didn’t know who to ask.

    https://tap.bio/@tryscrum

    May 14, 2022 at 15:19 | Report abuse | Reply
  4. Luke Manganelli

    This blog was... how do I say it? Relevant!! Finally I have found something that helped me. Kudos!

    https://www.reddit.com/user/locksmithIrving

    May 20, 2022 at 12:19 | Report abuse | Reply
  5. Isaac Soo

    This site was... how do I say it? Relevant!! Finally I've found something that helped me. Kudos!

    https://www.blogger.com/profile/11545202347847288709

    May 23, 2022 at 01:50 | Report abuse | Reply
  6. Dorsey Papalia

    This excellent website truly has all the information I wanted about this subject and didn’t know who to ask.

    https://alltop.com/my/humgy

    May 27, 2022 at 12:31 | Report abuse | Reply
  7. Jennie Izarraras

    This site was... how do I say it? Relevant!! Finally I've found something that helped me. Thanks a lot!

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/metrodatasys/

    May 30, 2022 at 06:09 | Report abuse | Reply
  8. Young Demmon

    I love looking through a post that can make men and women think. Also, many thanks for permitting me to comment!

    https://manandvanremovalsnorthlondon.wordpress.com

    June 2, 2022 at 10:01 | Report abuse | Reply
  9. mua đất sạch trồng cây

    I’d have to verify with you here. Which is not something I usually do! I take pleasure in reading a publish that will make individuals think. Also, thanks for permitting me to remark!

    http://idg-comp.chph.ras.ru/~idg/data_view/get_graph.php?data_type=inep&data_type_brief_suff=-brief&year=2019&month=12&day0=10&url=https://namix.vn/dat-sach/

    June 9, 2022 at 04:54 | Report abuse | Reply
  10. đất sạch trồng cây cảnh

    Well I really liked studying it. This article offered by you is very practical for proper planning.

    https://sc.news.gov.hk/TuniS/namix.vn/dat-sach

    June 9, 2022 at 06:22 | Report abuse | Reply
  11. Merissa Mongrain

    Great post. I'm dealing with some of these issues as well..

    https://issuu.com/ajtechcompany

    June 11, 2022 at 16:46 | Report abuse | Reply
  12. Elvis

    Tom Hanks has been cast as Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis's manager.

    https://www.elvismov.com/

    June 13, 2022 at 00:35 | Report abuse | Reply
  13. Lightyear

    It is scheduled to be launched within the United States on June 3, 2022.

    https://www.lightyearmovie.com/

    June 16, 2022 at 13:58 | Report abuse | Reply
  14. watch Lightyear

    According to a theory floated by Campbell's therapist , the killer and the agent might have one another, or are the brothers neither one ever had.

    https://www.lightyearmovie.com/

    June 16, 2022 at 14:06 | Report abuse | Reply
  15. lông chó corgi

    Would you be interested by exchanging hyperlinks?

    https://podcast-espana.es/podcast/zoipet/zoipet-cho-corgi-kg-m-01ksq5-ngu-n-g-c-c-i-m-cho-c

    July 13, 2022 at 07:01 | Report abuse | Reply
  16. Loài chó cảnh Siba inu

    There is noticeably a bundle to know about this. I assume you made sure good factors in options also.

    https://music.amazon.com.br/podcasts/e0ebb972-d9c6-4897-8088-e560478bcf85/episodes/74fee070-5d68-47c9-8ed9-991249ff5f42/zoipet-zoipet-chó-shiba-kg-m-077hh

    August 12, 2022 at 12:34 | Report abuse | Reply
  17. Edmund Villas

    And indeed, I’m just always astounded concerning the remarkable things served by you. Some four facts on this page are undeniably the most effective I’ve had.

    https://canvas.instructure.com/eportfolios/797624/Home/The_Ultimate_Guide_To_Hospital_Beds__Long_Term_Care_Beds_

    September 1, 2022 at 16:29 | Report abuse | Reply
  18. 英雄聯盟 改版

    https://nb6881.com世界 盃 資格 賽 賽程推薦給您最好的娛樂平台正規專業的好平台

    https://cccmm.net娛樂城推薦

    September 19, 2022 at 06:54 | Report abuse | Reply
  19. 路克天行者

    https://nb6881.com阿拉伯杯推薦給您最好的娛樂平台正規專業的好平台

    https://wj5289.net運彩 ptt

    September 25, 2022 at 15:27 | Report abuse | Reply
  20. Johnson Wooddell

    hello!,I love your writing so so much! percentage we keep up a correspondence extra about your post on AOL? I require a specialist in this area to unravel my problem. May be that is you! Looking forward to peer you. |

    showme.bla

    October 3, 2022 at 11:25 | Report abuse | Reply
  21. HUGA 野蠻世界娛樂

    https://tb5168.live通博娛樂最強遊戲都在都這裡!快來加入我們

    https://nb6881.com2022世界盃外圍賽

    October 4, 2022 at 22:02 | Report abuse | Reply
  22. Mel Kaizer

    You are able to conceal any fatty tissue that you currently have by getting a suntan. Hides it, although tanning will not be an end to fatty tissue. While you must steer clear of sun exposure, you may replace by investing in a self-tanner or squirt tan lotion. Just be aware of the products and your body.

    https://www.deepzone.net/home.php?mod=space&uid=772169

    November 20, 2022 at 05:42 | Report abuse | Reply
  23. Joseph Hussong

    Drinking water is extremely important factor regarding battling cellulite. Your skin layer will really feel a lot better as plenty of drinking water.

    http://www.buran.in/index.php?qa=user&qa_1=libradesert1

    November 20, 2022 at 06:23 | Report abuse | Reply
  24. Teresita Wallenstein

    Minimize the amount of tension out of your daily life. Tension in a negative way affects the hormone stability of bodily hormones in your body whether you realize it or perhaps not.These adjustments make your entire body maintain these undesirable fats. So obtaining stress from the lifestyle can help you trimmer and skinnier too.

    http://hdzypt.com/home.php?mod=space&uid=1045824

    November 20, 2022 at 06:55 | Report abuse | Reply
  25. Steven Leistiko

    Make hydrating every day basis. Keeping skin area moist is a good for many reasons. It allow you to fight fatty tissue. Carefully massage any areas of the body which are supplying you with problems.This will likely break up some unhealthy build up.

    https://www.yzgz.cn/space-uid-787390.html

    November 20, 2022 at 07:19 | Report abuse | Reply
  26. rugs western

    After I originally left a comment I seem to have clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and from now on every time a comment is added I get four emails with the exact same comment. Perhaps there is a way you can remove me from that service? Cheers!

    https://western-rugs-talsa-rugs.b-cdn.net/western-rugs-decor.html

    February 1, 2023 at 19:19 | Report abuse | Reply
  27. 8x10 western rugs

    Very good post. I'm going through many of these issues as well..

    https://ewr1.vultrobjects.com/western-kitchen-and-bath-rugs/western-country-area-rugs.html

    March 5, 2023 at 07:56 | Report abuse | Reply
  28. Dotty Reazer

    With Rapid Profit Machine You Can End Up Being a Super Associate using this Brand New Revolutionary Modern Technology and also Generate Affiliate Commission on auto-pilot using this Done For you Associate Advertising Training as well as Funnels: https://sites.google.com/view/rapid-profit-machinereview

    https://sites.google.com/view/rapid-profit-machinereview

    March 15, 2023 at 20:04 | Report abuse | Reply
  29. Jeffery Converse

    With Rapid Profit Machine You Can Become a Super Affiliate utilizing this Brand New Revolutionary Modern Technology and Generate Affiliate Commission on autopilot utilizing this Done For you Associate Advertising And Marketing Training as well as Funnels: https://sites.google.com/view/rapid-profit-machinereview

    https://sites.google.com/view/rapid-profit-machinereview

    March 15, 2023 at 20:04 | Report abuse | Reply
  30. Jaunita Stutz

    With Rapid Profit Machine You Can Come To Be a Super Affiliate utilizing this Brand-new Revolutionary Innovation and Produce Affiliate Commission on auto-pilot utilizing this Done For you Affiliate Advertising Training and Funnels: https://sites.google.com/view/rapid-profit-machinereview

    https://sites.google.com/view/rapid-profit-machinereview

    March 15, 2023 at 20:18 | Report abuse | Reply
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49

Leave a Reply to House Clearance Newport


 

CNN welcomes a lively and courteous discussion as long as you follow the Rules of Conduct set forth in our Terms of Service. Comments are not pre-screened before they post. You agree that anything you post may be used, along with your name and profile picture, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and the license you have granted pursuant to our Terms of Service.

Advertisement
About this blog

Get a behind-the-scenes look at the latest stories from CNN Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen and the CNN Medical Unit producers. They'll share news and views on health and medical trends - info that will help you take better care of yourself and the people you love.