Scientists from the University of Chicago have discovered a new link between smoking and the development of dementia. With every puff of a cigarette, the lungs release substances that affect the body's iron balance, which may contribute to the development of dementia symptoms. Previous studies have shown that excessive smoking in middle age is associated with a more than 100% increased risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease over two decades. It was previously believed that this effect was mainly due to the harmful effects of smoking on the cardiovascular system and lungs. However, scientists have uncovered a new mechanism, demonstrating that smoking disrupts communication between the lungs and the brain. According to a study published in Science Advances, special neuronal cells in the lungs, when exposed to nicotine, release substances that affect the iron balance within neurons, leading to symptoms common in dementia patients. Researchers noted that these cells are extremely rare, combining the properties of both neurons and endocrine cells.
