Second-hand smoke may lead to dementia
Exposure to even second-hand puff can raise a person’s chances of developing dementia, according to researchers.
A new study, by the Cambridge University, has revealed that second-hand smoke can cause damage to the way one’s brain works, making dementia and other neurological conditions, more likely, the ‘British Medical Journal’ reported.
A new study, by the Cambridge University, has revealed that second-hand smoke can cause damage to the way one’s brain works, making dementia and other neurological conditions, more likely, the ‘British Medical Journal’ reported.According to the researchers, the connection could be heart disease, a known risk factor for dementia and which can be triggered by smoking.
Lead researcher Dr David Llewellyn said: “Our results suggest that inhaling other people’s smoke may damage brain, impair cognitive functions such as memory, and make dementia more likely.”
In their study, the researchers tested the saliva of 5,000 non-smokers, all above 50 years, for a chemical called cotinine, a by-product of nicotine which can stay in the body for almost two days after inhaling second-hand smoke.
The subjects were then asked to sit a series of tests designed to assess their level of recall and other skills.
And the findings showed those with a high level of the chemical in their bodies were 44 per cent more likely to develop early memory problems, which can be a warning sign for dementia, than those with low levels.
“Given that passive smoking is also linked to other serious health problems like heart disease and stroke, smokers should avoid lighting up near non-smokers. Our findings also support calls to ban smoking in public places,” ‘The Daily Telegraph’ quoted Dr Llewellyn as saying.