/neuro/taxonomy/term/250/all en /neuro/channels/news/smoking-thins-vital-part-brain-241649 <p>Years ago, children were warned that smoking could stunt their growth, but now a major study by an international team including the Montreal Neurological Institute at Æ»¹ûÒùÔº and the University of Edinburgh shows new evidence that long-term smoking could cause thinning of the brain’s cortex. The cortex is the outer layer of the brain in which critical cognitive functions such as memory, language and perception take place. Interestingly, the findings also suggest that stopping smoking helps to restore at least part of the cortex’s thickness.</p> Tue, 10 Feb 2015 14:28:48 +0000 anita.kar@mcgill.ca 1347 at /neuro