Journal of Psychiatry

Prospective memory and second hand smoke exposure: A review

Euro Global Summit and Medicare Expo on Psychiatry

July 20-22, 2015 Barcelona, Spain

Tom Heffernan

Posters-Accepted Abstracts: J Psychiatry

Abstract:

Prospective memory is critical to everyday remembering, whether it be remembering to meet with friends on time or remembering to take an important medication on a regular basis. Prospective memory has been shown in the past to be compromised by the chronic use of a range of recreational drugs, including ecstasy, cannabis, alcohol and more recently, tobacco smoking. One developing area of research has focused on what impact exposure to second-hand smoke or ?passive smoking? (where a non-smoker is exposed another person?s tobacco smoke in public or enclosed spaces) might have upon health and cognitive function. There is now widespread scientific consensus that exposure to second-hand smoke is harmful. Previous research has sug-gested that exposure to second-hand smoke not only has a detrimental effect upon health, but is also associated with poorer cognitive performance and educational achievement in chil�dren, adolescents and adults. The current review will focus on recent evidence which suggests that prospective memory deficits are also associated with exposure to second-hand smoke in young adults. The review will also consider putative some potential psychopharmacological mechanisms involved, as well considering limitations and future directions within this field of research.