Nicotine: Abused Substance and Therapeutic Agent

Overview

Journal J Psychiatry Neurosci

Specialty Psychiatry

Date 1998 Apr 29

PMID 9549250

Citations 8

Authors

J Le Houezec

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Tobacco dependence is a complex phenomenon that is not fully understood. Nicotine is the main alkaloid in tobacco and the addictive compound of tobacco. It can improve both mood and cognitive functioning; these positive effects are strong reinforcements for smokers and contribute to their addiction. Opposite results also have been reported, however, and the effects of nicotine remain controversial. Recent epidemiological and empirical studies have indicated that smoking or nicotine or both may have protective effects against certain diseases. These findings have suggested that nicotine may be used as a therapeutic agent. However, because a variety of nicotinic cholinergic receptors are present in the brain, new agonist compounds may prove to be more effective than nicotine for therapeutic purposes. Studies are reviewed and the suggestion made that nicotine may prove useful as a tool to help us understand normal and pathological brain functioning.

Citing Articles

Neurobiology of Stress-Induced Nicotine Relapse.

Wang X, Chen Y, Dong J, Ge J, Liu X, Liu J Int J Mol Sci. 2024; 25(3).

PMID: 38338760 PMC: 10855331. DOI: 10.3390/ijms25031482.

The role of nicotinic cholinergic neurotransmission in delusional thinking.

Caton M, Ochoa E, Barrantes F NPJ Schizophr. 2020; 6(1):16.

PMID: 32532978 PMC: 7293341. DOI: 10.1038/s41537-020-0105-9.

Smoking and mental health.

Ghodse H Int Psychiatry. 2019; 4(1):1-2.

PMID: 31507869 PMC: 6734746.

Targeting neuronal dysfunction in schizophrenia with nicotine: Evidence from neurophysiology to neuroimaging.

Smucny J, Tregellas J J Psychopharmacol. 2017; 31(7):801-811.

PMID: 28441884 PMC: 5963521. DOI: 10.1177/0269881117705071.

Nicotinic modulation of intrinsic brain networks in schizophrenia.

Smucny J, Tregellas J Biochem Pharmacol. 2013; 86(8):1163-72.

PMID: 23796751 PMC: 4103690. DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2013.06.011.

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