The negative impact of chronic tobacco smoking on adult neuropsychological function: a cross-sectional study

Background The evidence on the effects of chronic tobacco smoking on neuropsychological functions is conflicting. The literature remains limited by inconsistent accounting for potentially confounding biomedical and psychiatric conditions. This study aimed to assess the neuropsychological functions of adult chronic tobacco smokers in comparison to group-matched non-smokers. Method The study included 73 smokers and 84 group-matched non-smokers. The data was collected during the year 2019. After an initial interview to collect demographics and smoking profile, the subjects undertook neuropsychological assessments that targeted a wide range of cognitive domains. Results The performance of smokers was poorer on almost all neuropsychological domains, namely selective attention (p [less than or equai to] .001, p = .044), alternating attention (p = .002) working memory (p [less than or equai to] .001), Short-term memory (p = .006 and .003), Long-term memory (p [less than or equai to] .001), processing accuracy (p [less than or equai to] .001), and executive function (p = .011 and .026). Smokers were intact on processing speed. Smoking accumulation and lower age onset of regular smoking were correlated with lower neuropsychological function. Conclusion Our findings add to the growing body of evidence suggesting that chronic tobacco smoking impacts cognition negatively. Keywords: Working memory, Cognitive impairment, Nicotine, Chronic smoking