Unexpected effects of cigarettes on the brain

In the study, scientists analyzed more than 28,000 brain scans and smoking habits of participants. All images were taken from the UK Biobank, a repository of genetic and health data of the country's people, according to The Sun (UK).

Smoking too much will cause the brain to shrink.

For smoking habits, participants completed two surveys. One was conducted between 2006 and 2010. The other was conducted between 2012 and 2013, along with an MRI scan of the brain.

After analyzing the data, the research team discovered that the brain volume of smokers was on average 6.5 cm ³ smaller than that of non-smokers. Of that 6.5 cm ³ , gray matter decreased by 4.9 cm ³ and white matter decreased by 1.6 cm ^3. The lost gray matter plays an important role in memory and emotion, while the lost white matter is responsible for transmitting information.

According to Scientific American magazine, some research evidence shows that the average male brain has a volume of 1,274 cm ³ , while that of a woman is about 1,131 cm ³ .

The study also found that the more people smoke, the more obvious their brain shrinkage is. If you smoke 1 pack of cigarettes a day for 1 year, the average brain volume will decrease by 0.16 cm ³ each year.

However, if you quit smoking, your brain shows signs of recovering its volume. Every year of not smoking helps your brain regain 0.08 ^cm3 of gray matter.

Brain shrinkage is a common occurrence due to aging. As people age, their brains shrink, leading to symptoms such as disorientation, memory loss, blurred vision, muscle weakness, and reduced coordination. Brain shrinkage also contributes to a number of neurological diseases, including dementia, according to The Sun.

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