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Re: Quick survey and question about smoking cigarettes

Posted by Neal on March 3, 2009, at 3:50:10

In reply to Quick survey and question about smoking cigarettes, posted by odon on March 1, 2009, at 9:11:24

This from Jan. issue of Brain Briefings
http://www.sfn.org/index.aspx?pagename=brainBriefings_smoking

Nicotine and its brain receptorsproteins on the surface of cells that receive chemical messagesare keys to understanding the links between smoking and schizophrenia. Already, research has revealed that:

* Nicotine and its receptors are involved in functions such as cognition or thinking ability, reward, movement, and pain relief.
* Schizophrenia patients have fewer and more poorly functioning nicotinic receptors, especially in the hippocampus, cortex, and cells that wrap the thalamusbrain areas involved in several cognitive and sensory deficits of schizophrenia.

Increased nicotine intakefrom smoking cigarettes or sometimes from a skin patch, gum, or nasal spraymay temporarily normalize sensory disruptions of schizophrenia. For example, nicotine may improve eye tracking abnormalities, mostly by altering activity in the hippocampus and brain areas involved in eye movement. Nicotine also has been reported to improve the brains ability to filter sounds and to respond and adapt to strong sensory inputs.

Cognitive ability in people with schizophrenia may get a boost from nicotine as well, including temporary enhancements in learning, memory, processing speed, and attention.


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URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20090223/msgs/883458.html