London - Taking up smoking as a teenager could thin the brain and make it harder to quit as an adult, scientists have warned.
A study found that the longer a young person had smoked, the less grey matter they had in the brain region involved in decision-making. Long-term smokers also craved cigarettes more.
The US researchers said they were shocked to find noticeable brain changes in youngsters, in the first study of its kind.
In Britain, about 200 000 11 to 15-year-olds start smoking each year. And two-thirds of adult smokers say they started before the age of 18.
Scientists from the University of California, Los Angeles, did detailed brain scans of 42 people, both smokers and non-smokers, aged between 16 and 21. The scans showed that the more a youngster had smoked, the thinner their right insula.
This brain region is involved in decision-making and trust. It is largely responsible for our “gut feelings” and linked to parts of the brain which process cravings.
The researchers said they couldn’t be certain that the differences in people’s brains were caused by smoking.
But the results suggest smoking as a teenager – during such a critical time for brain development – does make it more difficult to give up later in life. - Daily Mail