RESUMO
Introduction: Nicotine, one of the major alkaloids of cigarette smoke, is known to stimulate the CNS. It was thought worthwhile to study effect after single cigarette smoking on some cognitive functions. These effects may be important in relation to increasing incidence of conditions where cognitive functions are deranged e.g. Alzheimer’s disease. Materials and Methods: The design of the study was open. Cognitive tests, blood pressure and heart rate recording were done in a group of subjects (n=34) who smoked a cigarette. The tests were performed twice in individual subjects; one before and other after smoking a cigarette (in control group (n=30) the two tests were performed after a resting period of 5 minutes). To study cognitive functions, following parameters were included: Forward Digit Span Test, Word List Memory Test, Benton Visual Retention Test, Mental Arithmetic Test, Motor Co-ordination Test, Digit Letter Substitution Test and Paragraph Cancellation Test (details of the tests will be elaborated during presentation). Results: In the subjects who smoked a cigarette heart rate, systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressure exhibited significant rise. In these subjects, scores of various cognitive tests showed statistically significant improvement as compared to the control group (detail data will be furnished during presentation).Conclusion: In the present study, smoking a cigarette has shown definite improvement in cognitive functions like short-term memory, alertness, visual retention, calculation skill and motor co-ordination. No attempt is made in the present study about the effect of repeated smoking. The tolerance to these effects cannot be ruled out presently. The present results need further exploration from point of view of therapeutic utility.