good news for smokers

[Arkteia]

I have never been one myself, nor do I enjoy being in the room full of smokers, but I sometimes feel sorry for them, too. I mean, it is not the biggest vice in the world, and yet every corner reminds them that they are personae non grata (no smoking!).

News about smoking and lung cancer, or cervical cancer, or cholesterol, or COPD, or stroke... But, here is a piece of good news, for those who forgot or does not know.

Smoking prevents Alzheimer''s.

True. And makes total sense because nicotine stimulates nicotinic (acethylcholine) receptors in the brain, hence its stimulating effect. And lack of acetylcholine is implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer''s. (Aricept and other drugs that slow the development of this illness increase level of acetylcholine in the brain).

So...if you can not, or do not want to stop, but feel guilty because of your habit, just remind yourself that there is at least one positive effect of it.

BTW, caffeine slows progression of Alzheimer''s as well.

 

[Dancing Fire]

thank you, Dr. Crasru.

 

[yssie]

Hmm. Too bad I kicked the coffee habit.

 

[4ever]

Date: 6/23/2010 2:51:27 AM
Author: yssie
Hmm. Too bad I kicked the coffee habit.

So have I...but tea had caffine too

 

[that_someone_special]

At least my caffeine doesn''t affect the lungs of another person...

 

[brazen_irish_hussy]

It could also be that smokers die before they get a chance to have dementia.
I also wonder if it might be stress related. I know smoking regulates stress and I believe lower stress levels in life equals healthier old person brain.
There was a really cool study on nuns many years ago. The researchers looked at what they wrote when they were in their 20s and then who got Alzheimer''s. They could predict with about 80% accuracy from the writing who wouldn''t get it because they wrote with a great deal more complexity and "density of ideas". Since they had similar lifestyles and diets, it really showed how much of it was in their pre existing neural complexity.