Scientists from Great Britain have proved that passive smoking is associated with the impairment of prospective memory functioning. The results of the study are published online in the journal Addiction.
Researchers from Northumbria University found that people who are systematically surrounded by smokers, although they do not smoke themselves, forget about 20 percent. more information than people who are not in contact with cigarette smoke. However, the worst results are achieved by smokers who forget 30 percent. more than a non-smoker.
Researchers studied three groups of people – smokers, passive smokers and non-smokers – in terms of the functioning of prospective memory, i.e. related to delaying the reaction and remembering to do something at a certain place and time.
Among passive smokers, the average amount of time spent around smoking was 25 hours a week, a situation that lasted an average of four and a half years.
It was the first study to investigate the relationship between exposure to cigarette smoke (secondhand smoke) and day-to-day memory problems.
Our results suggest that passive smoking deficits relate to everyday cognitive functioning. We hope that our work will initiate further research on this topic, leading to a better understanding of the links between passive smoking and health problems and daily cognitive functioning, comments Dr. Tom Heffernan, one of the researchers. (PAP)
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