India, Sept. 21 -- Smoking and drinking have become common features of social gatherings, and frequent indulgence can gradually turn them into long-term habits. While their effects on the lungs and liver are widely known, the damage they can cause to the brain often goes unnoticed.ALSO READ: What happens to your lung cancer risk after you quit smoking? Oncologist explains

Dr Anmol Singh Rai, consultant in neurology at Fortis Hospital, Jalandhar, helped break down how smoking and alcohol consumption affect the brain over time and whether the damage can be reversed. He cautioned that the brain may begin to decline long before obvious signs such as memory lapses, mood swings, or slowed thinking appear.

The neurologist compared the effects ...