There was an article I found where they imaged the brains of subjects with nicotine doses and while giving them tasks to perform (
here).
What caught my eye was the following sentence:
Study findings also suggest that nicotine helps focus attention on task demands by shifting cognitive resources from less "used" parts of the brain to regions required for task performance.
This solidifies for me (granted not scientific), that the effect of improved memory/cognitive function is only temporary. It has also been shown that nicotine use can prevent new brain cells from forming, particularly in the hippocampus part of the brain that is responsible for long term memory. If nicotine is in fact causing the brain to adjust and shift cognitive functions to other parts of the brain that aren't as damaged or function better, this would explain the seeming improvement to these functions.
Now, I'm responding, because I have first hand experience to how nicotine/smoking, at least for me, did affect memory and cognitive ability.
What is also known about nicotine is that it acts on the brain by attaching to neuro receptors in the brain. This causes a blocking of nerotransmitters from attaching to receptors which in turn causes such things as increased levels of dopamine (what makes you feel good). These neurotransmitters are how the brain communicates messages throughout the body. What if part of this is to communicate new cell growth? I haven't found any articles to relate to this specifically, but I believe there is still so much that is unknown on the long term effects of nicotine.
With all of that said, I started seeing a holistic practitioner over a year ago, and there were several natural supplements that she gave me due to my smoking. These included amino acids that helped to maintain the physical space in synapses that neurotransmitters traverse, and others to help in the maintenance of dopamine and GABA. All I know is that I didn't think I had any kind of problems, but after 2 months of taking these supplements, I realized I had "brain fog" (had diffculty focusing), because it started to lift. I realized, by way of co-workers who had to remind me of things on occasion, that some information I would get during the day would not make it to long term memory. But I also think it had more to do with my lack of ability to focus.
Now all I can say is, I'm still on these supplements and my brain/head feels normal. I don't have problems focusing anymore, and as far as I can tell no real issues with memory (though how would I know if I did
. During this entire time I had still been smoking analogs, at least until almost 2 weeks ago when I switched to
vaping.
I don't have any scientific studies to back this up, it's just my own personal experience and beliefs through this period of my life and study.
