Electronic Cigarettes Found to Improve Memory

Research presented on April 18th at the British Psychological Society's Annual Conference, held at the Grand Connaught Rooms in London show evidence that electronic cigarettes may help memory.

85 regular smokers, men and women, were randomly given an e-cigarette in a study at the University of East London by Dr. Lynne Dawkins. The e-cigarettes either contained nicotine or a placebo or the smokers were told to hold the electronic cigarette without using it. The study participants were allowed to use the device as much as they wanted for five minutes. After the five minutes were up, the participants filled out a questionnaire determining their mood and cravings. The questionnaire was completed a second time, 20 minutes after using the device. Sixty participants were asked to complete a memory task in addition to the questionnaire 10-15 minutes after using the electronic cigarette.

The Results

The results of the study found that men who “smoked” had more reduced cravings than women, thus improving their mood. For women, the placebo was just as good as the electronic cigarette containing nicotine. The participants who were given the series of memory tasks had better memory functions compared to the other groups when using the e-cigarette containing nicotine.

"Perhaps more significantly, we found that e-cigarettes with nicotine help maintain working memory in smokers who have not smoked for an hour or two. People who choose to stop smoking without using a nicotine substitute may therefore suffer a period during which their working memory levels dip until their bodies adjust to the reduced levels of nicotine. E-cigarettes seem to be effective at reducing this problem for men and women. However, in this study we did not look at the issue of whether people feel self-conscious about using the devices in public."
- British Psychology Society