In brief
A systematic review of 2.8 million Australians and others indicates that current smokers are at significantly higher risk of developing dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and vascular dementia. Smoking intensity appears to raise the risk: 10 tobacco cigarettes a day associate with a 16% higher risk, while 20 cigarettes a day raise it by 34%. Former smokers, however, are not at increased risk. Researchers urge clinicians, anti‑smoking campaigns and policy makers to highlight brain health as a benefit of quitting.
In an Australian‑led systematic review published Monday, researchers found that people who currently smoke are at a significantly higher risk of developing dementia, with current smokers showing a 31% greater overall risk compared with those who have never smoked. The study, which pooled data from 61 studies involving about 2.8 million people, also reported that smokers face a 40% higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease and a 52% higher risk of vascular dementia.
Importantly, the meta‑analysis indicates a dose–response pattern: those who smoke ten cigarettes a day have a 16% higher risk of dementia, while those who smoke 20 a day face a 34% higher risk, relative to never‑smokers. Conversely, former smokers did not exhibit a higher risk than the never‑smoker group, suggesting that quitting may mitigate the elevated risk.
Lead authors, from Curtin University in Perth, said the research “adds to the growing evidence that quitting smoking may be an important part of reducing dementia risk.” They called for brain health to be incorporated into anti‑smoking campaigns, cigarette packet warnings and quit‑smoking programs.
