A recent study done by King's College London has shown that smoking can "rot" the brain by damaging the ability to memorize, learn as well as reason.

The researchers have also found that high blood pressure and obesity could negatively affect the brain, but to a lesser extent.

The study, which was published in the Journal of Age and Ageing, involved more than 8,800 people aged 50 or above. Subjects were asked to learn and recall 10 given words. In addition, their verbal fluency was measured by the number of animal names that they could give within one minute.

The study participants received the same test after four and eight years respectively.

The results indicated that smokers tend to have lower scores in the tests for memory, verbal fluency as well as cognitive functioning.

Dr. Alex Dregan, one of the researchers of the study, said, "Cognitive decline becomes more common with ageing and for an increasing number of people interferes with daily functioning and well-being.

"We have identified a number of risk factors which could be associated with accelerated cognitive decline, all of which, could be modifiable. We need to make people aware of the need to do some lifestyle changes because of the risk of cognitive decline."

For those who do not think that lung cancer is convincing enough to quit smoking: May be this would make you think twice?