How Our Brain Improves By Quitting Smoking

Studies are usually published that affirm the effects of quitting smoking on our body (lungs and skin especially). However, not much is known about how our brain improves by breaking that bad habit. Are you interested in knowing it? Then keep reading this article.

The harmful effects of cigarettes on the brain

Tobacco and all components of cigarettes are bad for general health. As for the changes caused at the brain level, the first thing to highlight is that it accelerates the aging process in neurons.

As has been published in the journal Nature, smoking damages the cerebral cortex in the long term due to the nicotine and formaldehyde contained in cigarettes. This causes, for example, problems to make decisions, solve certain situations, remember information or retain data.

The scientists in charge of this research compared the brain function of 500 smokers in relation to the number of years they had maintained the habit. Subsequently, they  analyzed the functions of those who had given up cigarettes at least 5 years ago.

It was found that not smoking serves to rebuild the destroyed cerebral cortex. However, the recovery process is very extensive: it takes 25 years for it to re-thicken naturally.

Brain, cigarette and hormones

Nicotine entering the body activates adrenaline secretion in the brain. This hormone stimulates the nervous system and increases the heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration.

On the other hand, this main component of the cigarette allows a greater production of the hormone dopamine linked to pleasure, euphoria and enjoyment. As if that was not enough, the brain develops more endorphins linked to the feeling of happiness. This is one of the reasons why smoking is addictive and is so difficult to quit.

The cigarette and the adolescent brain

Smoking is not something that only affects adults. Many young people start this habit at a very young age, either out of curiosity or to appear to their friends. A large percentage of adolescents who try cigarettes before the age of 18 maintain the habit when they grow up.

On the contrary, those who do not smoke at this stage are unlikely to change their minds in adulthood. A study published on the TobaccoFreeKids site indicates that 80,000 young people around the world smoke for the first time or become addicted to tobacco every day.

This is not the only alarming thing, since many adolescents and children suffer the consequences of smoking without smoking, just because they are close to a family member who does. Hearing and visual problems, as well as deficiencies in brain functions, are just some of the effects of smoking at a young age.

The prefrontal cortex is still developing during adolescence and can be severely affected by nicotine. The greater your addiction, the less active that portion of the brain will be. This results in behavior problems, poor grades in school, and a lack of ability to decide about their lives.

As the prefrontal cortex continues to develop with this deficit, the consequences can be more serious and affect the entire brain.

Quitting smoking improves memory

Taking into account all the negative effects that smoking causes in our mind, we can deduce what the advantages will be of giving up this bad habit. One of the main changes ex-smokers experience almost instantly is that they have more memory.

The smoke that enters the body does not allow the organs and the brain to oxygenate. When the mind does not receive enough oxygen it cannot work properly. Research from the University of Northumbria (UK) reveals that quitting smoking restores short-term memory.

• Study participants (smokers, ex-smokers, and those who had never tried smoking) had to perform certain specific tasks.
• The group of smokers remembered 59% of the activities, that of ex-smokers remembered 74% of the topics and those who never smoked had 81% of memory.

Dr Tom Hefferman was in charge of this analysis and noted that smoking has many negative effects on cognitive function (including memory problems). The next step for science would be to study how smoke affects the brains of passive smokers.

Without a doubt, it is another reason to put aside this horrible habit that has so many dire consequences for our health. If you have a hard time making the decision, you can inform yourself not only about the problems that smoking entails but also the benefits that you will enjoy from the first moment you quit smoking.