On 8 Dec 2004, Annette Taylor, Ph. D. wrote: > I could only read the little yahoo clip, but this sentence confuses me: > > "When social and health behavior was taken into account -- factors like > education, occupation and alcohol consumption -- smoking still appeared to > contribute to a drop in cognitive function of just less than 1 percent." > > Is a drop of "just" less than 1% meaningful? significant? "marginally > significant" > > Does anyone with access to the full article have a fuller interpretation of > that statement?
Abstract appended below. It seems it's a small effect, but statistically significant. They don't say whether the adults were allowed to smoke during cognitive testing, but they probably weren't. As I seem to recall that smokers say that they feel better, are more alert, and are able to function better while smoking, this could account for the drop. State-dependent drug effects might also apply. If most of their life-long learning was carried out under the influence of nicotine, then it would be fairest to test them while under the same influence. On the other hand, smoking's a stupid habit, and I can well believe both that those who choose to smoke are less sharp than non-smokers, and also that smoking itself harms the brain (note to offended smoking TIPSters: not you, I mean the _other_ people who smoke). Stephen Childhood IQ, smoking, and cognitive change from age 11 to 64 years Lawrence J. Whalley, Helen C. Fox, Ian J. Dearyb and John M. Starrc Abstract We investigated whether smoking is a risk factor for relative cognitive decline from age 11 to 64 years. The potentially confounding effects of childhood IQ, occupational status, level of education, presence of heart disease, hypertension, and lung function were examined. Subjects were nondemented and living independently. They were all born in 1936, had been participants in the same Scottish national IQ survey in 1947, and were reexamined at age about 64 years in 2000�2002. Current smokers and nonsmokers had significantly different mental test scores at age 64. This difference remained after adjustment for childhood IQ. Multiple linear regression identified childhood IQ, level of education, occupational code, lung function, and smoking history as significant independent predictors of mental function at age 64. In this sample, smoking makes a small (<1% variance) independent negative contribution to cognitive aging. ___________________________________________________ Stephen L. Black, Ph.D. tel: (819) 822-9600 ext 2470 Department of Psychology fax: (819) 822-9661 Bishop's University e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Lennoxville, QC J1M 1Z7 Canada Dept web page at http://www.ubishops.ca/ccc/div/soc/psy TIPS discussion list for psychology teachers at http://faculty.frostburg.edu/psyc/southerly/tips/index.htm _______________________________________________ --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
