Evaluation of the effect of smoking status on cognitive functions in individuals 65 years of age and older

Introduction and Aim: There are many studies in the literature showing that smoking has negative effects on cognitive functions. However, there are also a limited number of studies suggesting that nicotine may have positive effects on some cognitive functions in older adults. In line with this, our study aimed to evaluate the possible effects of smoking on cognitive functions in individuals aged 65 and older. Materials and Methods: The study is a single-center, cross-sectional, descriptive-analytical study. Between January 1, 2025, and April 30, 2025, sociodemographic data forms, smoking duration and history, the Patient Health Questionnaire -9 (PHQ-9), Fagerström Nicotine Dependence Test (FNBT) (administered to actively smoking patients), and Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA) were completed through individual interviews with patients. Data were analyzed using the SPSS 23 software package. p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 274 people participated in the study. Of the patients, 47.81% were female and 52.19% were male. The average age of the patients was 69.03. 14.23% of the patients were active smokers, 45.26% had never smoked, and 40.51% had smoked in the past but no longer did so. A significant difference was observed between smoking status and MoCA total score (p=0.003). The median MoCA total score was 22 (minimum=14, maximum=29) for patients who were active smokers, 21 (minimum=11, maximum=28) for patients who had previously smoked but had quit, and 19.50 (minimum=8, maximum=28) for patients with no history of smoking. Conclusion: Our study found evidence that cigarette smoking may have positive effects on cognitive function. However, it was understood that this effect is not independent of educational level, mental health, and sociodemographic factors. Larger samples and longitudinal studies are needed to obtain clearer results. Keywords: Cigarettes, nicotine, old age, cognitive functions, MoCA, PHQ-9