Smokers More Likely to Develop Dementia

Smokers are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease (AD) or dementia than non-smokers or those who smoked in the past, according to a study in the Netherlands.

Dutch researchers from the Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, reported that individuals aged 55 years or older who were smokers during the study were 50% more likely to develop dementia than those who had never smoked or were former smokers.

Their study included 6868 participants aged 55 and above who were free of dementia at study outset. Participants were interviewed in their homes about current and past health, medication, lifestyle, and risk factors for chronic disease. All study participants were asked about past and current smoking habits.

Smoking could affect the risk of dementia through several mechanisms, according to study author Monique Breteler, MD, PhD, of Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam.

“Smoking increases the risk of cerebrovascular disease, which is also tied to dementia,” Breteler said. “Another mechanism could be through oxidative stress, which can damage cells in the blood vessels and lead to hardening of the arteries. Smokers experience greater oxidative stress than nonsmokers, and increased oxidative stress is also seen in Alzheimer’s disease.”

Oxidative stress occurs when the body has too many free radicals, which are waste products produced by chemical reactions in the body.

“Antioxidants in the diet can eliminate free radicals, and studies have shown that smokers have fewer antioxidants in their diets than nonsmokers,” Breteler said.

Source: American Academy of Neurology Press Release, 4 September 2007; C Reitz et al “Relation between smoking and risk of dementia and Alzheimer disease: The Rotterdam Study” Neurology (2007) 69:998-1005

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