College students who vaped scored lower on cognitive function tests, new research suggests.
Although vapes, also called e-cigarettes, are still relatively new — and comprehensive research on their impacts is lacking — new studies continue to emerge highlighting their harmful effects.
Now, a new study suggests vaping may actually hurt brain health and lead to lower abilities when it comes to learning, memory, problem-solving, and critical thinking.
The first-of-its-kind study, which was presented at the 149th Annual Meeting of the American Neurological Association, found that college students who vaped scored lower on cognitive function tests than those who didn’t vape.
Researchers conducted the study on 405 Hispanic college students between the ages of 18 to 30 at two universities in Guayaquil, Ecuador.
Of the participants, 64 only vaped, 31 only smoked cigarettes, 111 smoked and vaped, and 199 never smoked or vaped. The students were tasked with completing Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) tests. Scores of 26 and above are considered normal on the MoCA, while a score below 25 may indicate some cognitive impairment.
Following the testing, the researchers found that the students who didn’t smoke or vape scored a median of 26 (with a low of 18), those who only vaped scored a median of 24 (low of 16), those who only smoked cigarettes scored a median of 25 (low of 22), and those who both vaped and smoked scored a median of 24 (low of 8). In other words, those who both smoked and vaped had the lowest scores of all.
Additionally, the researchers found that the frequency of vaping played a role in testing scores: While those who vaped 10 to 20 puffs per day scored 9.2% lower than those who didn’t vape or smoke, those who vaped more than 20 puffs a day scored 13.7% lower than those who didn’t vape or smoke.
“People in the study who had previously smoked cigarettes typically smoked three or four a week, but with vaping, they now smoke double, triple, or more, especially if they smoke and vape,” said Linker Viñan Paucar, lead author of the study and a final-year medical student at Catholic University of Santiago de Guayaquil, Ecuador, in a news release. “Electronic cigarettes with up to 20,000 puffs are supposed to last three months, but we found many students finished them before the first month and started using others.”
The results are particularly significant because while some research has highlighted vaping’s effects on the lungs and heart, this is the first study to discover an association between vaping and brain health.
Previous research has shown that smoking cigarettes can impact cognitive function. Studies have shown that the habit can reduce brain volume and narrow blood vessels, leading to less blood flow and oxygen to the brain. Nicotine — which is also an ingredient in vapes — has also been shown to cause neurotoxicity and brain cell damage.
And while vapes were initially marketed as a safer alternative to cigarettes, research continues to show that that is not necessarily the case.
Next, researchers intended to study the cognitive effects of vaping among college students of different racial and ethnic backgrounds.
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