研究表明吸烟损伤智力

People who smoke could lose around one third of their everyday memory, researchers say.

研究员表示，吸烟的人会失去他们大约三分之一的日常记忆。

According to a study by a team at Northumbria University, smokers lose more of their memory when compared to non-smokers. And the research also found that those who kicked the habit saw their ability to recollect information restored to almost the same level as non-smokers.

根据诺桑比亚大学的一个研究小组的调查，和那些不吸烟的相比，烟民的记忆丧失的更多。他们还发现，如果人们戒烟，那么他们可以看见自己回忆信息能力几乎回到从前，和不吸烟的人差不多。

The study involved more than seventy 18 to 25-year-olds and included a tour of the university’s campus. Those who took part were asked to recall small details of life, known as real world memory test.

超过17名18至25岁的人参与调查，还包括了一个参观大学校园的旅行团。他们被要求回忆一些生活中很小的细节，这被称作对真实世界的记忆测试。

Smokers performed badly, remembering just 59 per cent of tasks. But those who had given up smoking remembered 74 per cent and those who had never smoked recalled 81 per cent of tasks.

烟民表现的很糟糕，他们只能回忆起任务中的59%。然而那些已经戒了烟的人可以回忆起74%, 从未吸烟的人则能做到81%。

Dr Tom Heffernan, who leads Northumbria University’s Collaboration for Drug and Alcohol Research Group, said the findings would be useful in anti-smoking campaigns.

诺森布里亚大学的毒品和酒精联合调查小组的领导者，汤姆·霍夫曼博士说，这些发现将被用于反吸烟活动。

He said: “Given that there are up to 10million smokers in the UK and as many 45million in the United States, it’s important to understand the effects smoking has on everyday cognitive function - of which prospective memory is an excellent example.”

他说：“考虑到英国的有1000万烟民而美国有4500万，所以更重要是的了解吸烟对日常认知功能的影响。对前瞻性记忆的影响就是一个很好的例子。“

“This is the first time that a study has set out to examine whether giving up smoking has impact on memory. We already know that giving up smoking has huge health benefits for the body, but this study also shows how stopping smoking can have knock-on benefits for cognitive functions too.”

“这是一项着眼于戒烟是否对记忆有影响的研究。我们已经知道戒烟对健康是有很大好处的。但这个研究也显示出，戒烟对认知功能也有连带的好处。”

The research will now investigate the effects of of passive smoking on memory, while Dr Heffernan and Dr Terence O’Neill will look into the effects of 'third-hand smoking' - toxins left on curtains and furniture.

目前，这项研究正在调查被动吸烟对于记忆的影响。霍夫曼博士和特伦斯·奥尼尔博士将研究“三手烟”也就是遗留在家具上毒素对记忆的影响。

Last year Dr Heffernan led a study into the link between excessive drinking in teenagers and damage to memory. The study found that binge drinkers do not think of themselves as having a poor memory - suggesting teenagers do not appreciate the damage that is being done.

去年，霍夫曼博士领导了一个有关青少年酗酒与记忆力损害之间联系的研究。研究发现。酗酒者并不会觉得自己的记忆差，这暗示青年人不能不重视已经造成的损害。