Drinking alcohol and smoking accelerate brain degeneration.

The research team leader, Dr. Gareth Hagger-Johnson, is from University College.LondonIt is noted that smoking and heavy drinking often occur simultaneously. Their combined effect on cognition may be greater than the combined effect of the two actions alone.

The lead researcher, Dr. Gareth Hagger-Johnson from University College London, said that smoking and heavy drinking often occur simultaneously. Their combined effect on cognition may be greater than the combined effect of the two actions alone.

The research team collected data from 6,473 adults, including 4,635 men and 1,838 women, aged 45-69, over a 10-year period.

These individuals were asked about their smoking and drinking habits, as well as their cognitive function, including verbal and mathematical reasoning, short-term memory, and fluency in speech. They were then assessed three times over a 10-year period.

As a result, among smokers, the rate of cognitive decline was found to be faster as the amount of alcohol they consumed increased.

“Our research shows that cognitive decline is 36% faster in people whose smoking and alcohol consumption exceeds the recommended limits, which is 14 alcohol units per week for women and 21 alcohol units per week for men (An alcohol unit typically contains 8-14g of pure alcohol. Each unit is equivalent to 270ml of beer, or 1 shot of wine (125ml), or 1 shot of spirits (25ml). When tracking heavy drinkers, we found that over a 10-year period, their brains aged by the equivalent of 12 years.”

This study, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, advises people against combining smoking and drinking alcohol, especially after middle age. “Healthy behaviors in middle age can prevent cognitive decline in old age,” the researchers said.

According to Dan Tri - NM