Scientists found that non-smokers who were exposed to high levels of cigarette smoke were more likely to suffer the early memory problems that could be a sign of the neurological condition.
Previous studies have suggested that there is a link between smoking and the development of dementia.
I thought the link was that smokers seem to suffer less from dementia?
I realise that the poison is the dose but I\’d be more than a little surprised if smokers got less demented while passive smokers got more….
After a quick Google I get the news story at Yahoo which gives more info.
They seem to have chosen some very arbitrary values:
– top 25% were labeled to have high exposure no matter the level of cotinine.
– bottom 10% were labeled as suffering from cognitive impairment no matter their test score.
Yes smokers are significantly less likely to suffer from various forms of dementia including alzheimers.
That is still the case even when you factor in the average lower life expectancy of smokers (Ie of those who survive to the same age as non smokers, they are still significantly less likely to suffer dementia – another reason I continue to smoke [the main reason of course if that the govt wants me to stop]).
smokers who dont die young might be exhibiting the actions of superior genes..therefore less dementia regarless of whether they smoke or not
It all depends on how the trial was designed, their definitions of the level of smoke and the statistical analysis used. The sad fact about clinical trials is that you can, if unscrupulous, design them to give you the result you want.
I would suggest that smoking’s preventative effects regarding dementia are to do with the postulated neuroprotective effect of nicotine. There would also be detrimental effects from carbon monoxide and artherosclerosis (vascular dementia). The balance of these inputs would possibly be different between smokers and those non-smokers exposed to cigarette smoke, leading to diverse outcomes. Just a guess……..
So Tim Worstall can’t remember if smoking protects against or causes Altzheimer’s.
I guess he doesn’t smoke then.