The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that smoking cigarettes can harm almost every organ in the body, while drinking excessive alcohol may lead to the development of chronic diseases. Despite these risks, many people continue to use these substances. If these individuals knew the combination of smoking and heavy drinking could speed up cognitive decline, they may be more likely to change their ways.
This is the conclusion researchers from the University College London recently arrived at. When compared to moderate drinkers who did not smoke, heavy drinkers who smoke cigarettes were found to experience cognitive decline at a 36 percent faster rate.
To reach this conclusion, researchers worked with 6,473 adults between the ages of 45 and 69 over the course of 10 years. These individuals' cognitive skills were assessed based on their performance in mathematical reasoning, verbal fluency and short-term verbal memory.
With the results of this study in mind, individuals who smoke and consume heavy amounts of alcohol may want to take an IQ test to see if it is time to rethink their behavior.
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