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Some things are known to make the brain shrink or shrink faster. Researchers found that smoking, diabetes and obesity can make the brain shrink faster.

A new study shows that smoking, obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure can make the brain shrink and cause mental deterioration until a decade later. This is because these factors are potentially dangerous to changes in the brain.

The study was conducted by researchers from the University of California, involving 1352 participants who averaged 54 years old and began in 1971. The study results are published in the journal Neurology.

“We can not cure the disease caused by a shrinking brain, but having a healthy body and mind can deliver tangible benefits. People should stop smoking, controlling blood pressure, prevent diabetes and lowers blood pressure” said Dr. Charles Decarli director of UC Davis’ Alzheimer’s Disease Center, as quoted from HealthDay, Tuesday (08/02/2011).

In this study, all participants perform blood pressure tests, cholesterol, diabetes, body mass and waist circumference. Then participants underwent brain MRI scans for 10 years.

Known people with high blood pressure had test scores of planning and poor decision making, people with diabetes experience brain shrinkage in the hippocampus area more quickly than those without.

The person who smokes will lose the overall brain volume and hippocampal shrinkage is faster than non-smokers so the faster areas of vascular damage in the brain, while obese individuals experience a decline in tests of executive function and decrease in brain volume more quickly.

“I think it’s an important study that confirmed that there are certain things that can affect 10, 20 and 30 years into the future,” said Dr. Raj Shah, medical director of the Rush Memory Clinic in Chicago.