Health mind and smoke

[maria angelica sassone]

Defenders of the smoke -free spaces are too many bad arguments supporting the need to protect nonsmokers from smoke snuff in the air. However , British scientists provide just one more. Because according to new research , this second-hand smoke increases the risk of psychological stress and mental illness in healthy adults.

The relationship smoke snuff and mental condition has been ' registered ' in previous studies in both mice and humans. It is known, in fact, that the smoke increases the risk of hyperactivity in children . for example, have been found to induce a negative mood .

However, the novelty of the new study, published in the last Archives of General Psychiatry, conducted by Mark Hamer of University College London , and his team is that has been related in an objective environmental smoke exposure in nonsmokers with the risk of mental pathology .

To do this , we used an analysis of saliva cotinine levels established (metabolite of nicotine) . "To our knowledge this is the first study demonstrated in a prospective, objective relationship between secondhand smoke and mental health in a representative sample of the general population , "say the authors in their study.

Research has had the participation of 5,560 adult nonsmokers and smokers 2595 (all with a mean age of 50 years) no history of psychiatric disorders. The authors established the mental health of participants through the General Health Questionnaire , which permits psychological stress, in addition to ' measure ' the symptoms of depression and anxiety and sleep problems , among other problems.

The mental disorders income over the six years of follow up were also included in the investigation, and the levels of cotinine in saliva.

14% psychological stress

The data reveal that 14% of the sample had psychological stress. " Non-smokers or former smokers with elevated cotinine levels in saliva were younger, had poorer social status , more body mass index , presence of chronic diseases , low physical activity and greater alcohol consumption than those with lower levels " .

But also the risk of psychological distress were higher in lThe participants more exposed to environmental smoke compared with those whose levels of nicotine metabolite were not detectable .

It was also found that in the six years of follow 41 of the study subjects were admitted to a psychiatric hospital. " People addicted to snuff and not smoking very ' contaminated ' by smoke were more likely to be admitted [...] because of a depression , schizophrenia , delirium or other mental disorders , "reads the test.

The researchers believe it should carry out more tests in order to "establish the possible biological mechanisms by exposure to secondhand smoke affects mental health . "

[Myriel RAouine]