Lowering nicotine levels to non-addictive levels reduces smoking without worsening symptoms of depression and anxiety for those suffering from mental health disorders.
The dose of nicotine from a single cigarette blocks estrogen production in the brain, causing behavioral changes. Findings may shed new light on why quitting smoking may be more difficult for women than men.
For smokers, the first cigarette of the day is often accompanied by a cup of coffee. Researchers say this may be more than a habit, finding chemical compounds in roasted coffee beans may help quell the effects of morning nicotine cravings.
Genes associated with alcohol and smoking addiction are over-represented in specific neurons, a new study reports. Researchers found genes associated with smoking were also linked to pain perception and food response while genes linked to alcohol addiction were associated with stress and learning.
Using lesion network mapping, researchers identified brain circuits associated with addiction remission. The findings provide a new target for the development of treatments for addiction.
Nicotine exposure significantly altered the metabolism and secretion of serotonin, acetylcholine, kynurenic acid, and choline in HT22 hippocampal cells. Findings suggest nicotine could have neuroprotective properties and provide cognitive enhancement.
Higher polygenetic risk scores for schizophrenia, depression, neuroticism, and alcohol use disorder are indicators for higher risk of nicotine dependence.
Flavored e-cigarette tobacco engages the taste system, while non-flavored vaped nicotine triggers the brain's reward system in a similar way observed when people smoke traditional cigarettes.
Between 60-90% of people with schizophrenia smoke, compared to between 15-24% of the general population. A new study found 40% of those with schizophrenia stopped smoking traditional cigarettes after 12 weeks of switching to e-cigarettes. Researchers also reported a significant number of participants sustained their reduction in smoking or completely stopped smoking at the end of the 12-week study.
A smoking cessation drug called cytisine may be a helpful new tool for the treatment of Parkinson's disease in women. Cytisine was found to reduce the loss of dopamine neurons. The effect was more pronounced when estrogen was present.
Mixing traditional cigarettes with vaping products is as detrimental to health as smoking cigarettes alone, a new study reports.
Those who consider themselves to be light smokers, in that they smoke between one to four cigarettes a day, meet the criteria for nicotine addiction.
