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smoking

·May 19, 2026·13 min read

Salt-Nicotine E-Cigarettes Triple Smoking Cessation Odds

Can switching to a pod-based electronic cigarette serve as a highly effective off-ramp for chronic smokers? A randomized, placebo-controlled trial reveals that switching to a 5% salt-nicotine e-cigarette triples the likelihood of successful smoking cessation within six weeks.

Featured Neuroscience

·May 8, 2026·9 min read

Brain Stimulation Boosts Willpower to Quit Smoking

Addiction is a biological imbalance where reward systems overpower self-control. Researchers have demonstrated that using rTMS to stimulate the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex can restore this balance, reducing cigarette use by 11 per day. This "top-down" approach strengthens the brain's ability to resist cravings, offering a promising precision-medicine tool for those struggling to quit smoking.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·February 25, 2026·6 min read

Smoking Linked to Lower Parkinson’s Risk but Higher Mortality

A neurological trade-off. New research finds currently smoking is linked to lower Parkinson's risk, but quitting remains the only way to lower your overall risk of death.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·December 5, 2025·5 min read

Astrocytes Found to Drive Key Brain Changes in Nicotine Addiction

New research shows that astrocytes play an active role in nicotine-induced brain changes, challenging the long-held neuron-centered view of addiction. Nicotine stimulates receptors on astrocytes, triggering signaling cascades that boost glutamine synthetase activity and amplify glutamate-related pathways.

This shows the outline of two heads and smoke.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·July 23, 2025·4 min read

Tobacco Use Linked to Higher Depression and Anxiety

Adolescents who use e-cigarettes or conventional tobacco products are significantly more likely to report symptoms of depression and anxiety than non-users, a new study finds. Researchers analyzed data from over 60,000 U.S. middle and high school students surveyed between 2021 and 2023.

This shows people drinking and lounging around.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 25, 2025·6 min read

These 3 Bad Habits in Your 30s Impact Later Mental Health

A decades-long study in Finland reveals that smoking, heavy drinking, and physical inactivity in early adulthood are strongly linked to declining physical and mental health by age 36. Participants with all three habits showed elevated depression symptoms, higher metabolic risk, and lower self-rated health and wellbeing scores.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·September 8, 2024·4 min read

Are Smokers Really Less Likely to Develop Parkinson’s?

Low doses of carbon monoxide, similar to levels experienced by smokers, can protect against neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s disease models. Researchers discovered that carbon monoxide reduced the accumulation of the Parkinson’s-associated protein alpha-synuclein and activated pathways that limit oxidative stress.

This shows a pregnant woman surrounded by smoke.

Featured Neuroscience

·May 7, 2024·7 min read

Combined Cannabis and Nicotine Use Amplifies Pregnancy Risks

A new study highlights the compounded risks of using both cannabis and nicotine during pregnancy. The research reveals that simultaneous use of these substances significantly increases the chances of adverse newborn outcomes, such as preterm delivery, small gestational size, and infant mortality.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·February 14, 2024·5 min read

Persistent Impact of Smoking on the Immune System

Smoking not only affects immune responses in the short term but also leaves a lasting imprint on the body's defense mechanisms. Through the Milieu Intérieur cohort of 1,000 healthy volunteers, the study identified smoking, alongside latent cytomegalovirus infection and body mass index, as a key factor influencing immune responses.

This shows a head covered in cigarette butts.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·December 13, 2023·5 min read

Smoking Linked to Brain Shrinkage, Irreversible Even After Quitting

Researchers found that smoking causes the brain to shrink and age prematurely, a condition not reversible even after quitting smoking. The study analyzed data from over 32,000 individuals in the UK Biobank, revealing a direct link between smoking, genetic predisposition, and reduced brain volume.

This shows a person surrounded by smoke.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·August 30, 2023·7 min read

Cigarettes Ignite the Risk of Mental Illness

A new study reveals a direct link between smoking and the increased risk of mental illnesses like depression and bipolar disorder. The research, based on data from 350,000 individuals from the UK Biobank, shows that smoking increases the risk of hospitalization for mental illness by 250%.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·March 6, 2023·3 min read

Smokers Generally Unaware That Quitting Smoking Will Reduce Risk of Dementia

Smoking may be a key risk factor for the development of dementia, but many smokers do not realize quitting cigarettes can help to reduce dementia risks.

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smoking

Salt-Nicotine E-Cigarettes Triple Smoking Cessation Odds

Brain Stimulation Boosts Willpower to Quit Smoking

Smoking Linked to Lower Parkinson’s Risk but Higher Mortality

Astrocytes Found to Drive Key Brain Changes in Nicotine Addiction

Tobacco Use Linked to Higher Depression and Anxiety

These 3 Bad Habits in Your 30s Impact Later Mental Health

Are Smokers Really Less Likely to Develop Parkinson’s?

Combined Cannabis and Nicotine Use Amplifies Pregnancy Risks

Persistent Impact of Smoking on the Immune System

Smoking Linked to Brain Shrinkage, Irreversible Even After Quitting

Cigarettes Ignite the Risk of Mental Illness

Smokers Generally Unaware That Quitting Smoking Will Reduce Risk of Dementia

Peripheral White Blood Cells Fuel Schizophrenia

Neuroplex Tracks Nine Separate Brain Circuits in Real Time

Forebrain Circuit Regulates Speech Gene to Build Voice

Tracking Facial Micromovements to Measure Pain

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