ArticleBMC public health2025
Smoking is associated with increased risk for dementia: the HUNT study, Norway.
Article in BMC public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Smoking Interacts WithBiological psychiatry global open science · 2026Article
- Prevention of cognitive decline and dementia: Current evidence on lifestyle factors and dietary patterns.EXCLI journal · 2026Review
- An interpretable machine learning screening model for MoCA-defined possible mild cognitive impairment in rural Xinjiang: a preliminary framework for resource-limited primary care.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundSmoking is considered a risk factor for dementia. Nevertheless, uncertainty regarding the associations with dementia subtypes and the effects of quitting remains. In this large longitudinal population-based cohort study, we investigated smoking as an independent risk factor for all-cause dementia. Second, we investigated the associations with dementia subtypes.
methodsWe included participants from the Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT) and collected their smoking status at baseline (HUNT2, 1995-97). We assessed cognitive status at follow-up two decades later (HUNT4 70+, 2017-19, N = 8,532) and collected pack-years. We handled missing data with multiple imputations and estimated relative risks (RRs) with Poisson regression after adjustment for covariates and stratification by age and sex.
resultsCurrent smokers had a 31% increased dementia risk (RR 1.31, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.12-1.52), women <85 at follow-up had a 54% increased risk (RR 1.54, 95% CI 1.20-1.98), and men <85 had a 36% increased risk (RR 1.36, 95% CI 1.01-1.82). We found no associations in persons 85+. Current smokers had an increased risk for vascular dementia but not for Alzheimer's dementia. Pack-years were not associated with increased dementia risk, and former smoking was only associated with vascular dementia in men.
conclusionsCurrent smoking was associated with an increased risk of dementia. Among those 85+ at follow-up, being a smoker 20+ years earlier was not associated with an increased risk of dementia, probably because death was a competing risk. In former smokers, there were no significant associations with dementia. Our results add to the literature an optimism about the effects of changing smoking habits and may encourage smoking cessation.
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