Nicotine Holley Williamson and Rachel Martinez

Addiction Chewed, Smoked, or Inhaled Absorbed within 7 Seconds of inhalation Nicotine molecule shaped like a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine - involved in many functions, including muscle movement, breathing, heart rate, learning, and memory Instant “kick” Release of glucose and endorphins, spike in “pleasure center” (dopamine) then downhill, leading to need for more – fatigue, irritability, aggression and even depression Withdrawal Symptoms – a study

Depressant or Stimulant? Actually, it’s a stimulant Inhibits another inhibitor in the brain Induces a panic sensation from the body, but also a rush of dopamine, so it feels relaxing

Why Smoke? Social Influences Peer pressure Learned coping mechanism Image Ignorance It’s hard to quit because all these factors interact with the physiological effects as well

Recent Research (NIDA) Nicotine increases levels of dopamine much like Cocaine, Marijuana, and Heroin, but researchers have found a key receptor component that is critical in nicotine addiction. Other research has shown that the genetic variant that decreases the function of the enzyme CYP2A6 can help a person prevent nicotine addiction. This is leading to new treatment capabilities, including research on a “nicotine vaccine” and pharmaceuticals that block the pleasurable aspect of nicotine. Another recent discovery is that the pleasure center shows significant decreased sensitivity during nicotine withdrawal, which helps with the understanding of why it may be so difficult for long term smokers to quit.

Nicotine as Medicine? Research shows that nicotine may produce positive effects on ability to pay attention in ADHD adolescents. It works much like the other dopaminergic medications used to treat ADHD Thus tobacco use in adolescents may serve as a form of self- selected medication to improve some of the cognitive difficulties that go along with ADHD. Other research that focuses on nicotine as medicine involves the cognitive functions of pre and early Alzheimer’s patients. For example, from Duke University: Stimulation of nicotinic receptors with nicotine or and/or novel nicotinic agonists reliably improves certain aspects of attentional and memory functioning in both normal individuals, patients with ADHD, schizophrenia, patients with Alzheimer's disease, and in our preliminary studies, MCI patients. (

Nicotine Treatment Behavioral therapy has been found effective in some smokers– replacing nicotine with other rewards can help some people quit smoking. Nicotine chewing gum or transdermal patches may also help some quit smoking, with a gradual reduction of nicotine levels during the quitting period. New smoking cessation products including pharmaceuticals that target the receptors in the brain are undergoing research and some are starting to go on the market, including the drug “Zyban” which helps control cravings. In fact, a new vaccine that prevents nicotine from reaching the brains of rats may offer hope for smokers trying to break their addiction. The compound, called NicVAX, may even prove useful as an inoculation against nicotine addiction. It works by reducing the levels of nicotine in the brain through nicotine antibodies, and prevents the nicotine from reaching the receptors, which reduces the pleasurable effects that are so addictive. ( With the current treatments, rates of relapse are the highest within the first 3 weeks of quitting, and significantly drop after 3 months.