Quitting smoking in later life may slow cognitive decline, study suggests

Getty/Liudmila Chernetska

By Olivia Bowthorpe

Stopping smoking in middle or older age could help to preserve memory and verbal fluency, according to an international study of ex-smokers.

The analysis compared outcomes over the course of 18 years for 4,718 smokers who quit and 4,718 who continued smoking. Participants lived in 12 countries including the UK and were aged 40 to 89 years.