New study shows quitting smoking is a vital step to reduce dementia risk
- Fresh joins forces with the North East’s two mental health trusts to encourage people to quit
New research has highlighted quitting smoking as a vital step people can take to protect their brain health and reduce their risk of dementia.
Fresh has teamed up with the North East’s two mental health trusts to raise awareness of the findings and remind people that there has never been more support available to help them quit smoking.
The study, published in medical journal Neurology, found that three key heath factors – not smoking, having normal blood pressure and not having type 2 diabetes – were linked to an average of nearly 13 additional years of life free from dementia. (1)
The good news is that it is never too late to quit smoking. There are more free and effective ways to quit than ever before – no matter how long you have smoked, how many cigarettes you smoke or how many times you have tried to quit. There are friendly local stop smoking services, quitting aids and medications to ease cravings and boost success, and the free Smoke Free app offering 24/7 support with stop smoking advisers.
Ailsa Rutter OBE, Director of Fresh and Balance, said: “Most people know smoking causes cancer and heart disease, but fewer realise it can also increase the risk of dementia.
“This latest study is an important reminder that looking after your brain starts much earlier than many people think. Smoking is an addiction – but quitting becomes more important from our forties onwards.
“Quitting is also about our short-term mental health – the benefits start almost immediately, and you can also feel calmer and happier within weeks.”
Prof Mani Santhana Krishnan FRCPsych, a consultant in Old Age Psychiatry and specialty clinical director for mental health services for older people at Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The poisons in tobacco smoke can increase the risk of both Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia – the more someone smokes, the higher the dementia risk.
“As more people reach older age, taking care of ourselves becomes more important – and especially taking these steps in middle age – quitting smoking, keeping active, eating a healthy diet and drinking less alcohol – can all help reduce the risk of dementia.”
Dr Charlotte Deasy, Consultant at Newcastle Memory Assessment and Management Service for Cumbria, Northumberland and Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust said: “I don’t think many people are aware that smoking can increase the risk of dementia, but people certainly do worry about what it might be like to lose their memory, to need more support and to have to rely on other people.
“When people smoke, the poisons in tobacco smoke circulate around the body, and these damage blood vessels and harm our brain over time.
“Smoking causes inflammation and stress to the cells within the brain, which can kill off brain cells, and that increases the chance of dementia.
She added: “It is really important that we raise awareness of the things that can reduce our risk of dementia. Quitting smoking at any age is going to help your overall health and it’s going to help reduce the risk of dementia.”
Alzheimer’s Society outline the main ways smoking impacts people’s risk of dementia:
- Smoking increases the risk of vascular problems (heart and blood vessels), including strokes or bleeds in the brain, which are risk factors for many types of dementia. (2)
- Poisonous chemicals in cigarette smoke cause inflammation and stress to cells and kill off brain cells and neurons, linked to the development of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. (3)
- Research now suggests that 14% of dementia cases worldwide may be caused by smoking. (4)
The study followed more than 12,000 adults over decades and found smoking was among the strongest modifiable factors associated with dementia-free years in later life. It adds to a growing body of evidence showing that smoking does not just damage the heart and lungs but can also affect brain health.
For advice and support to quit smoking, visit www.freshquit.co.uk
Notes to editors
A study published in Neurology Open Access found that having normal blood pressure, not having type 2 diabetes and not smoking between the ages of 45 and 65 was associated with almost 13 additional years of dementia-free life, on average. Researchers analysed data from 12,409 participants and followed them for an average of 26 years.
https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WN9.0000000000000152
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/aug/05/midlife-health-factors-delay-dementia-study
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-middle-age-linked-years-dementia.html
References
1: Neurology Open Access https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WN9.0000000000000152
2: Alzheimer’s Society https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-dementia/managing-the-risk-of-dementia/reduce-your-risk-of-dementia/smoking
3: Alzheimer’s Society https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-dementia/managing-the-risk-of-dementia/reduce-your-risk-of-dementia/smoking
4: Alzheimer’s Society https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-dementia/managing-the-risk-of-dementia/reduce-your-risk-of-dementia/smoking