Age-Related Brain Atrophy Enhanced by Smoking: A Quantitative Study with Computed Tomography

Abstract

We examined the chronic effect of smoking on brain atrophy quantitatively with computed tomography (CT). Study was performed on 159 smokers and 194 non-smokers from 40 to 69 years old with neither neurological nor focal abnormality in brain CT. Brain atrophy index (BAI) which was a quantitative marker of brain atrophy reported previously, was calculated from each pixel of brain CT. There was a significant age dependent increase of BAI in both non-smokers and smokers. Smokers showed a significant increase in BAI (atro-phic) compared to non-smokers in three age groups, 50–54, 55–59 (p<0.01, both) and 65–69 (p <0.05). In the male, the mean BAI became high when the smoking index increased (p<0.01). The systolic blood pressure and serum triglycerides of smokers were significantly higher than the non-smokers (p <0.05 and p <0.01). It was suggested that age-related brain atrophy was increased by chronic smoking through advanced atherosclerosis. © 1987, Tohoku University Medical Press. All rights reserved.