How smoking damages the BRAIN: Cigarettes thin the outer layer responsible for memory, language and perception


By LIZZIE PARRY FOR MAILONLINE-13 February 2015

• New study found smokers have a thinner cortex than non-smokers
• Cortex is the outer layer of the brain responsible for memory and language
• It’s the most highly developed part of the brain, often known as gray matter
• Scientists found the cortex can regain some thickness once smoker quits

A study of men and women with an average age of 73, has found smoking thins the outer layer of the brain, the cortex

Smokers have a thinner outer brain layer than non-smokers, scientists have discovered.

Past studies have long linked smoking to heightened risk of cancer and lung disease.

And research has shown smokers are more likely to endure premature ageing, gum disease, go on to develop Alzheimer’s and heart disease.

How Smoking Damages the BRAIN Cigarettes Thin the Outer Layer Responsible for Memory, Language and Percepti... by Thavam Ratna