Effects Of Smoking On The Brain

Smoking is hazardous to human beings. Right from brain to toe, smoking wrecks havoc to the smoker. The effects of smoking on brain are highly dangerous. Discover how smoking affects the human brain, here.

The Brain

The brain, the center for mood and conscious thoughts, makes thinking and feeling possible. It controls the voluntary movements and regulates digestion and breathing. So, the brain controls the conscious thoughts as well as the unconscious body processes.

Nicotine and the Brain

The brain is connected to the heart and the lungs through arteries. These arteries supply oxygen and other chemicals to the brain. So, when a person smokes cigarette, the chemicals inhaled are sent to the brain.

The chemicals, particularly nicotine, reach the brain ten seconds after the smoke is inhaled and remains active for 20-40 minutes. After reaching, nicotine affects, changes and controls the specialized receptor cells (responsible for regulating the well-being, mood and memory) in the brain. This, in turn, changes the chemistry of the brain, which finally affects the smoker’s mood.

Withdrawal of nicotine leads to mood changes, irritability, and anxiety. When the situation becomes severe, the smoker feels uncomfortable because of intense yearning for more nicotine.

Eventually, with regular and long term use of nicotine, it becomes an addiction. The smokers then need nicotine to maintain their normal function.

Smoking effects on the Brain

Smoking Myth

It’s a myth that smoking helps to concentrate and makes a smoker alert. In fact, the speed and accuracy of a smoker’s thinking ability becomes weak. Smoking also lowers down the smokers’ IQ. This fact has been established by a study conducted by University of Michigan researchers.

The researchers also confirmed that long-term smoking have harmful effects on memory, problem-solving, and IQ. In fact, they viewed that smoking diminishes the thinking ability of a person.

Benefits of Quitting Smoking

Smoking which changes the human brain, when quit can benefit the smoker. So, give up smoking and decrease your risk of having strokes.

3 Responses to “Effects Of Smoking On The Brain”

  1. Trix Duvenage Says:
    March 24th, 2008 at 9:21 am

    I have a big problem
    My wife was diagnosed with MND [motor neuron disease] recently and obviously I am looking at VARIOUS channels that might change the irriversable scenario surrounding this disease.

    What I need is genuin advice. Not general emotional feelings AGAINST smoking, but exact answers. Will stopping to smoke contribute to the healing of this specific illness?

    Obviously she is devastated about the news and therefore she smokes more than usual. I do not want to deprive her from something that at least help her cope with the condition by insisting that she stops to smoke merely because i THINK it will be helpfull.

    It is said that the disease is incurable [I do not Accept that]
    I am concentrating on positive thinking and the power of God.
    However if stop smoking is a major factor I am willing to try and convince her.

    What effects does smoking have on the motor neurons for instance?

    Sorry to trouble you with my burden

    regards

    Trix Duvenage

  2. What is the Legal Smoking Age? Says:
    November 7th, 2008 at 6:14 am

    [...] Teenagers who smoke at an early age are at a risk of developing symptoms of mental illnesses such as depression, worthlessness and depression. This could be due to changes in the brain due to nicotine exposure [...]

  3. Sam Says:
    May 11th, 2009 at 1:59 pm

    im only 17 but iv been smokin for a couple of years.
    in total, during the week i smoke about 30 fags.
    but even if i go 24 hours without one, i head serious headaches..
    they’re the worst on the front left side of my head.
    and sometimes it only feels better if i close my eyes.

    it ALWAYS goes away if i have a fag.
    this is not psychological, cos sometimes i dont think about it and i still get these headaches.

    help? :(

Leave a Reply