title: [Cognitive modifications associated with tobacco smoking].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tobacco is an important source of somatic diseases and causes high mortality. It is associated with cognitive disorders which tend to maintain addictive mechanisms. In the short term, the nicotine contained in tobacco enhances attention and memory.
  
  
  METHODS
  To realize this review, we made a research, we made a research on Medline, Embase, PsycInfo, Google Scholar using the single or combined key-words "tobacco", "nicotine", "addiction", "dependence", "cognitive disorders", "executive function", "memory", "attention", "neuropsychological". We selected English or French articles from 1987 to 2008 by privileging controlled studies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This effect can be observed in smokers (with or without withdrawal symptoms), non-smokers and in patients suffering from cognitive disorders. In the long term, tobacco accelerates dementia processes. It is associated with an increased risk of cognitive deterioration. This deterioration concerns mainly memory and processing speed. These results were reported in prospective studies. They contradict early reports, that suggested smoking could actually be protective against certain central neural system disorders. These early results relayed on case-control studies, which were certainly biased by a "healthy survival effect". Further studies are required to evaluate nicotine's long term effect and its potential efficacy in treating and preventing cognitive disorders or dementia.
authors: Université Paris-Sud, Le Kremlin Bicêtre, INSERM U669, Paris, Hôpital Paul Brousse, Villejuif, France.
authors: Marie
authors: M
authors: Lecacheux
authors: Laurent
authors: L
authors: Karila
authors: Henri-Jean
authors: HJ
authors: Aubin
authors: Patrick
authors: P
authors: Dupont
authors: Amine
authors: A
authors: Benyamina
authors: Judith
authors: J
authors: Maman
authors: Amandine
authors: A
authors: Lebert
authors: Michel
authors: M
authors: Reynaud
mesh_terms: D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D003704:Dementia / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D009538:Nicotine / Q000633:toxicity; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000633:toxicity; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D009538:Nicotine