Smoking affects the health of the mind London - Arabstoday Scientists at Kings College London have found that smoking affects the health of the mind as well as the body. Their study, published in the Oxford Journal of Age and Ageing, found that memory, learning and reasoning were all affected in heavy smokers. The scientists collected data about the lifestyle, health, and brain function of a sample of people over 50 during their investigation in to the links between the likelihood of a heart attack/stroke and the state of the brain.Participants took part in brain tests every four years, and it was found that those whose lifestyle had left them at ‘high risk’ of heart attack or stroke also showed the greatest mental decline, with a \"consistent association\" between smoking and lower scores in the tests. Whilst results showed that the overall risk for these two conditions is \"Significantly associated with cognitive decline,\" Scientists involved insisted people need to be aware that lifestyle choices can damage the mind as well as the body.