Cigarettes 'keep you sharp after dark'

Nicotime triggers a chemical which transmits nerve impulses

Smokers are more mentally alert at night than non-smokers thanks to the effects of nicotine, according to new research.

Scientists at Surrey University made the findings after depriving a group of 30 smokers and non-smokers of sleep for 10 hours while asking them to perform a series of alertness tests.

Concern the report could attract young people to light up

Rosemary Brook, a spokeswoman for the university's psychopharmacology unit, said: "There was a caffeine ban and none of the participants were allowed to doze off but the smokers were allowed to light up as often as they wanted.

"The results showed that smokers were subsequently able to perform various tests of reaction, memory recall and other related tasks consistently better than the non-smokers. Basically, it seems nicotine keeps you more alert."

The scientists recruited a corps of hardened young smokers with a 10-a-day habit for at least the last five years to carry out the research.

Improved performance

They found nicotine improved brain power as it enters the mouth by triggering the release of increased quantities of a chemical, acetylcholine, which is responsible for transmitting nerve impulses.

The human guinea pigs were tested five times throughout the night after first making sure they were free of alcohol or anything else which could artificially improve performance.

Health risks

The scientists are anxious to underline that their study does not imply smoking is good for you.

Anti-smoking campaigners said the study had only succeeded in proving what was already widely known - nicotine is an effective stimulant.

Clive Bates, the Director of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), said: "It has long been proven that nicotine stimulates the body, rather like drinking a cup of coffee. Its effect on performance is questionable, however.

"But at the end of the day smoking a cigarette to wake yourself up in the dead of night is a poor trade off with the massively increased risks of cancer, heart disease, respiratory ailments and so on."

The report was also met with a cool response from smokers' rights group, Forest.

It said evidence of cigarettes having beneficial effects could lure more underage smokers.

Marjorie Nicholson, the Director of Forest, said: "We don't want these reports being used to tell youngsters that smoking improves their minds, particularly at a time when there is a rising numbers of young smokers.

"It worries us precisely because it is the problem of underage smoking which is being used by health campaigners to curtail the rights of smokers."

The pro-smoking group also expressed scepticism about the Surrey University study, saying the personalities of those who took part could also account for greater mental agility.

Mrs Nicholson said: "There has been a lot of research which suggests smokers have improved concentration and alertness as compared to non-smokers.

"But it is unclear whether that is due to them being smokers or their personalities.

"For example, it could be that the type of person who smokes is just more mentally alert than the type of person who doesn't."