Researchers from University College London (UCL) have found that quitting smoking may help slow age-related memory decline and protect brain health as we age. According to new research, people who quit smoking in middle age can significantly slow their cognitive decline, so much so that within a decade, their risk of developing dementia becomes nearly identical to those who have never smoked. The study adds to growing evidence that giving up cigarettes can protect brain health and delay age-related mental decline.

This One Step Can Lower Your Dementia Risk, Doctors Say

Published in The Lancet Healthy Longevity, the study examined data from more than 9,400 adults aged 40 and older across 12 countries. The findings strengthen existing evidence that giving up cigarettes could reduce the risk of dementia, though experts note that further research is needed to understand the full impact of smoking cessation on cognitive health.

Researchers noted that while the link between smoking and poor cognitive health is well known, the long-term effects of quitting have been less certain. In this study, memory and verbal fluency tests showed that people who stopped smoking experienced a slower rate of decline in the six years following cessation.

Experts said the findings are especially important because middle-aged and older adults are often less inclined to quit, despite facing greater health risks. Demonstrating that quitting can also help preserve brain function, they added, could serve as a strong new reason for this group to give up smoking.

Data shows that smoking is most common among adults aged 25 to 34, with about 14 percent identifying as smokers, while only 8.2 percent of those over 65 reported smoking. Responding to the UCL study, Dr. Julia Dudley, head of research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said smoking is tied to several major health risks, including cancer, heart disease, and dementia—particularly Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia. She emphasized that quitting can greatly lower the likelihood of developing these conditions.

What Is Dementia?

Dementia is an umbrella term for a group of symptoms that affect a person's ability to think, remember, and reason to the point that it interferes with daily life. It is not a normal part of aging, but is caused by damage to brain cells, which can result from conditions like Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, or Lewy body dementias. Symptoms include memory loss, confusion, difficulty with language and problem-solving, and changes in mood or behavior, and the condition worsens over time.

What Causes Dementia?

Dementia develops when diseases damage brain cells, disrupting how they communicate with one another. This breakdown in communication affects memory, thinking, behavior, and emotions. The brain is made up of different regions, each responsible for specific functions such as judgment, movement, and memory. When cells in a certain area are harmed, that part of the brain can no longer perform normally.

Each type of dementia is linked to damage in particular brain regions. In Alzheimer’s disease, for instance, an abnormal buildup of proteins inside and around brain cells prevents them from staying healthy and transmitting signals effectively. The hippocampus, responsible for learning and memory, is usually the first area affected, which is why memory loss tends to be one of the earliest signs of Alzheimer’s.

Flu season has arrived, and while the summer wave of COVID-19 has subsided, a winter increase is expected. Vaccines are available for both viruses, prompting many to ask about timing, especially if they haven’t received their shots yet. With the CDC updating guidelines, rules around vaccination are constantly evolving, so the most common question is: can you get your COVID and flu shots at the same time?

Can You Get Your Covid And Flu Shots At The Same Time?

The COVID-19 vaccine can be administered alongside a seasonal flu shot for those who prefer to get both at once. It is considered completely safe. “There are no recommendations against it; it mainly comes down to personal preference,” Dr. Mike Ren, an assistant professor of family and community medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine explained. He added that some people may experience mild fatigue with vaccines, and getting multiple shots at the same time could slightly increase that effect.

Many people are already familiar with how their bodies react to flu and COVID-19 vaccines. The COVID shot can sometimes cause soreness in the arm, so it’s recommended to avoid getting both vaccines in the same arm if that happens. For those who experience minimal side effects, there’s no disadvantage to receiving both shots at the same visit. Some choose to space them out simply based on convenience.

Which Covid Shot To Get?

For individuals who have experienced strong reactions to the Pfizer or Moderna mRNA COVID vaccines, the Novavax shot, which uses a more traditional protein-based method may offer an alternative with fewer temporary side effects, according to Caitlin Rivers, an infectious-disease epidemiologist and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.

Males aged 12 to 29 may particularly consider Novavax, as it carries no known risk of myocarditis, a rare heart inflammation sometimes associated with mRNA vaccines. Andrew Pavia, a pediatrics infectious-disease physician at the University of Utah, noted that myocarditis cases linked to mRNA vaccines are generally mild, and COVID-19 itself poses a higher risk of heart complications.

Pavia also explained that there are no major differences between the current Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, so people can choose whichever is more convenient or available.

When Should You Get A Flu Vaccine?

The ideal time to get a flu vaccine is generally from late September through October. Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, recommends aiming to be vaccinated before Halloween, in line with CDC guidance.

While many pharmacies begin offering flu shots as early as July or August, Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease specialist at the University of California, San Francisco, advises waiting a bit longer. This is because vaccine protection can wane after a few months, and flu cases often peak between December and February.

Even if you miss the early window, it’s still worthwhile to get vaccinated. “Some protection is better than none,” Dr. Chin-Hong emphasizes.

Staying up to date with both COVID-19 and flu vaccinations is an important step in protecting your health during the respiratory virus season. Getting the shots at the same time is safe and convenient for most people, though minor side effects like fatigue or soreness may be slightly increased.

It has been five years since COVID first appeared, and over this period, case numbers have both surged and declined. Suruchi Sood, an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, notes that some delays in COVID tracking by the Centers for Disease Control are partly due to the government shutdown. Based on the available data and her own clinical observations, she says, “We don’t seem to be seeing, thankfully, yet, an uptick of COVID.” However, she points out that another respiratory illness is currently gaining ground in the country.

Not Covid, But This Disease Is Spreading

Although COVID-19 cases are declining, many people are still experiencing congestion and sore throats. Dr. Steven Gordon, chairman of the Department of Infectious Disease at the Cleveland Clinic, noted that recent lab data from Northeast Ohio show SARS-CoV-2 activity continuing to fall from its summer peak, with last week’s COVID positivity rate at 5%.

At the same time, infections caused by rhinovirus, the common cold virus, and other enteroviruses have been rising, with a 20% positivity rate. While these numbers are specific to Northeast Ohio, they reflect broader trends reported by the CDC, which show increasing rhinovirus and enterovirus cases as of late September.

What Is Rhinovirus?

Rhinovirus is a widespread virus and the leading cause of the common cold, though it can also trigger other respiratory conditions such as asthma flare-ups, bronchitis, and pneumonia. It spreads through respiratory droplets, direct contact, or contaminated surfaces. While it usually affects the upper respiratory tract, it can sometimes cause infections in the lower respiratory system.

How Does Rhinovirus Spread?

Rhinovirus spreads in several ways, according to the CDC. It can be transmitted through respiratory droplets released when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks. The virus can also pass through direct person-to-person contact. In addition, rhinovirus can survive on surfaces such as doorknobs, phones, or other objects for several days, allowing it to spread when someone touches these contaminated surfaces.

How To Stay Safe From Rhinovirus?

As we approach the virus season, it’s important to take steps to protect your health, experts say. Dr. Steven Gordon emphasizes that prevention is better than treatment, recommending the flu shot for anyone older than six months as the most effective protection against influenza. Similarly, getting the COVID-19 vaccine remains the best way to reduce the risk of severe illness and hospitalization.

“With COVID and flu vaccines available, now is an ideal time to get vaccinated, as it takes several weeks for immunity to build,” said Dr. Suruchi Sood. Both vaccines can be administered at the same time and are widely available at pharmacies. It’s advisable to check with your doctor or local pharmacy about COVID shot eligibility in your area.

Maintaining overall health through regular exercise and a nutritious diet can also help defend against respiratory viruses, while frequent handwashing remains a simple but effective preventive measure. COVID vaccination continues to be a safe and effective way to lessen the severity of illness, with recent studies in the VA Health System showing that it reduced hospitalizations, deaths, and emergency visits even in the past season, Dr. Sood added.

A recently published study has drawn attention to a new and rather unexpected side effect linked to popular weight-loss medications.

Drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy, originally developed for type 2 diabetes but now widely used for weight management, have seen a sharp rise in demand. A Kaiser Family Foundation survey released in May 2024 found that roughly one in eight American adults has used a GLP-1 drug.

However, as their use becomes more widespread, doctors are identifying additional side effects, one of which may complicate the results of certain medical scans.

Ozempic And Wegovy Users Are Reporting A Growing ‘Unusual’ Side Effect

Researchers at Alliance Medical, a European imaging services company, examined PET-CT scans of cancer patients who were using GLP-1 medications. In this type of scan, a patient is given an intravenous injection of a radioactive sugar compound called fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG). Because diseased cells consume more of the substance than healthy ones, the PET scanner highlights these areas as “hot spots,” as described by the Cleveland Clinic.

Often, PET and CT scans are done together, the CT providing X-ray–based images that, when combined with PET data, give doctors a detailed 3D view of the body.

According to findings presented in September at the Annual Congress of the European Association of Nuclear Medicine, Alliance Medical researchers observed several abnormal FDG uptake patterns among patients using GLP-1 drugs. These irregularities could easily be mistaken for signs of disease if physicians are unaware of the patient’s medication use.

“We first saw an unexpected uptake pattern in one patient taking a GLP-1 agonist, which led us to conduct a broader review across our centers,” said Dr. Peter Strouhal, Medical Director at Alliance Medical, in a statement shared by the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

If these scans are read incorrectly, patients could face unnecessary diagnostic procedures, inaccurate cancer staging, and potential delays in receiving the right treatment.

Other Side Effects Of Weight Loss Drugs

Many people who use GLP-1 medications experience digestive discomfort such as nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, or heartburn. The drugs are also known to carry risks like gallbladder disease, bone fractures, and, in some cases, pancreatitis.

Recently, however, new physical changes popularly referred to as “Ozempic vulva” and “Ozempic breasts” have begun drawing attention. Across social media, women have described noticeable changes since starting these injections, including sagging skin, vaginal dryness, weakened pelvic muscles, and occasionally an increase in discharge.

Though vaginal changes are not listed among the official side effects of GLP-1 drugs, specialists believe they may be connected to the rapid fat loss these medications cause. As body fat decreases, the natural fat pads that cushion and support vulvar tissue can diminish, leading to visible and functional changes.

“Ozempic breasts” is a term used to describe changes in breast size or shape that occur after significant weight loss from GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic and Wegovy. Many women report reduced volume, increased sagging, and, in some cases, tenderness as their body fat percentage drops.