Close to Smokers Make Slow Brain

Dangers of secondhand smoke not only damage the health of active smokers, but those who live or spend time with a smoker are also susceptible to memory deterioration.

"Based on the reports of the World Health Organization (WHO), exposure to secondhand smoke has serious consequences for those who do not even smoke, but are exposed to secondhand smoke. Our findings suggest that exposure to cigarette smoke can affect cognitive function," said Dr.Tom Heffernan, a researcher from the Collaboration for Drug and Alcohol Research Group at the University of Northumbria UK

In research published in the journal Addiction, Heffernan and his team compared the two groups of smokers with other groups of non-smokers. Among non-smokers, one group exposed to smoke, both at home and public areas, for an average of 25 hours a week in an average period of 4.5 years. Other non-smoker group was not exposed to secondhand smoke on a regular basis.

Respondents from the three groups were tested for memory test. This test requires the respondent do the job for a certain period. Respondents were also asked to recall events that focus on future plans.

Groups of non-smokers exposed to secondhand smoke seems to have trouble remembering the nearly 20 percent of the memory test than the other groups of non-smokers. However, the smokers are the worst in this test. They have trouble remembering to 30 percent.

"We expect there will be further research to examine the relationship between secondhand smoke exposure, health problems and cognitive functions of everyday life," says Heffernan.