Smoking and Cardiovascular Disease May Impact Cognitive Function

Smoking damages the heart and blood circulation and may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. A new study has found that smoking and cardiovascular disease may also negatively impact cognitive function.

Participants in the study included over 70,000 adults between the ages of 18 and 85. The participants took the online cognitive test called MindCrowd which was created by the Translational Genomics Research Institute. The researchers gathered demographic, health, lifestyle, and medical information from all participants. 

The researchers found that smoking and cardiovascular disease negatively impact verbal learning and memory throughout adulthood, beginning as early as age 18. Smoking was more strongly associated with decreased learning and memory function in women. Cardiovascular disease was more strongly associated with decreased learning and memory function in men.

The study was conducted by researchers from the Translational Genomics Research Institute. It was published online ahead of print on May 13, 2021 in the journal Scientific Reports.