Paul Christiansen highlights an RCT of varenicline on smoking cessation through smoking reduction, which suggests that varenicline may be an effective treatment for smokers who wish to gradually reduce their cigarette consumption.
[read the full story...]
Marcus Munafò appraises a recent cross-sectional survey, which looks at associations between e-cigarette access and smoking and drinking behaviours in teenagers.
[read the full story...]
Akshay Nair summarises a recent systematic review and meta-analysis of modifiable predictors of dementia in mild cognitive impairment. The meta-analysis finds that diabetes and the presence of any neuropsychiatric symptoms significantly predicted the conversion of mild cognitive impairment to dementia.
[read the full story...]
Sally Adams summarises a recent Cochrane systematic review on family-based interventions for preventing smoking by children and adolescents, which shows the evidence is strongest for high intensity, family-based interventions that are independent of school-based programmes.
[read the full story...]
Should all molecular research institutes looking at neurodegenerative diseases be replaced by parks, playgrounds and cycle paths? Mark Horowitz highlights a recent systematic review of modifiable risk factors associated with cognition and dementia, which suggests that from a public health perspective, there may be some sense in this idea.
[read the full story...]
Matt Field reviews the recent cross-sectional survey of e-cigarettes and conventional cigarette use in US adolescents, which found that E-Cig users were more likely to also smoke regular cigarettes than non-users. Does this mean that E-cigarettes encourage the use of conventional cigarettes?
[read the full story...]
Sally Adams summarises a recent review of e-cigarettes, which looks at use, content, safety, effects on smokers and the potential for harm and benefit.
[read the full story...]
This recent and well-conducted meta-review concludes that the impact on mortality and suicide of mental disorders is substantial, and probably poorly appreciated as a public health problem. Raphael Underwood’s blog summarises the data for all-cause and suicide mortality in mental disorders.
[read the full story...]
This new study estimates that there are approximately 3 million smokers in the UK with mental illness, and the direct cost of treatment to the NHS in this population was £719 million in 2010. The total smoking-attributable costs for this group are estimated at £2.34 billion.
[read the full story...]
Smoking is recognised as a major risk factor for periodontal disease and a large number of studies have shown a strong and consistent association between smoking and periodontal disease. The aim of this study was to re-examine the periodontal effects of smoking and the impact of the other putative risk factors through early to middle [read the full story…]
