

Science Says Quitting Smoking At Any Age Is Good For The Brain
10 snips Oct 17, 2025
Discover how quitting smoking at any age can boost brain health and lower dementia risk, backed by research showing cognitive improvements in quitters. Learn about the harmful effects of smoking on brain blood vessels and why quitting can still benefit older individuals. The discussion shifts to fascinating studies on helping preterm infants develop language skills through maternal voice recordings, and investigate a viral urban animal mystery that concludes with a surprising revelation: it's a squirrel!
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Quitting Smoking Helps The Brain At Any Age
- Quitting smoking in middle or older age still improves cognitive test scores compared to continuing smokers.
- The benefit did not weaken with age, suggesting quitting helps the brain even late in life.
Vascular Damage Links Smoking To Cognitive Decline
- Smoking damages small blood vessels in the brain, restricting oxygen and harming cognition.
- Improvements in vascular and heart health from quitting likely underlie cognitive benefits and lower dementia risk.
Quit Smoking Even If You're Older
- Quit smoking even later in life because it still reduces risks to heart and brain health.
- Consider cessation at any age since benefits for life expectancy and disease risk persist into older ages.