Another Reason to Give Up?

Need an incentive to give up smoking?

According to reports, smoking may lead to an increased risk of dementia:

"Living with a smoker can make people 2.5 times more likely to develop dementia than residing with non-smokers, say U.S. doctors."

That follows a report from 2004:

"March 22, 2004 -- Smokers have faster mental decline in elderly years -- up to fivefold faster, a new study shows.

Only a few studies have looked at this link between smoking and mental function in elderly people who don't have dementia or Alzheimer's disease. In recent studies, researchers have found a significantly increased risk of both dementia and Alzheimer's disease among smokers.

Smoking likely puts into effect a vicious cycle of artery damage, clotting, and increased risk of stroke causing mental decline, writes researcher A. Ott, MD, a medical microbiologist with Erasmus University Medical Centre in the Netherlands.

...."

Cheerful stuff eh?