A new study has suggested that heavy smoking during middle age greatly increases the chances of developing Alzheimer or other dementia later on in life.
Lead researcher Rachel A. Whitmer had this to say: “We found that people who reported heavy smoking in midlife had more than a 100 percent increase in risk of Alzheimer disease and vascular dementia. We have known that smoking is a risk factor for cancer, stroke and cardiovascular disease, this adds to the evidence that what is bad for the heart is bad for the brain.”
According to the results, the risks of developing the disease did not vary according to race, gender, or any other factor. As previous studies have shown, there is some link between Alzheimer and dementia and smoking. It has also been suggested that smoking is a huge risk factor for stroke, and it may also add to the risk of vascular dementia which causes small clots on the brain.
The results of the new study are likely to shock many people. It has been known for a very long time that there are a huge amount of risks that area associated with smoking, particularly for smokers who are middle aged or older. However, whatever age the smoker is, there are always going to be risks, and Alzheimer is just another one to be added to the very long list of diseases that can be triggered by smoking.