Re: Smoking increases mental illness risk?? » poser938

Posted by phidippus on May 4, 2014, at 20:34:41

In reply to Smoking increases mental illness risk??, posted by poser938 on May 2, 2014, at 15:06:57

Nicotine, the active psychoactive ingredient in cigarettes exerts a wide range of psychological effects. It is both a stimulant and a relaxant. When a cigarette is smoked, nicotine-rich blood passes from the lungs to the brain within seven seconds and immediately stimulates the release of many chemical messengers such as acetylcholine, norepinephrine, epinephrine, arginine vasopressin, serotonin, dopamine, and beta-endorphin. At low doses, nicotine potently enhances the actions of norepinephrine and dopamine in the brain, causing a drug effect typical of those of psychostimulants. At higher doses, nicotine enhances the effect of serotonin and opiate activity, producing a calming, pain-killing effect.
Nicotine has varied positive effects on the brain: A study has shown a protective effect of nicotine itself on neurons due to nicotine activation of α7-nAChR and the PI3K/Akt pathway which inhibits apoptosis-inducing factor release and mitochondrial translocation, cytochrome c release and caspase 3 activation. There is evidence that nicotine itself has the potential to prevent and treat Alzheimer's disease. Studies have indicated that nicotine can be used to help adults suffering from autosomal dominant nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy. The same areas that cause seizures in that form of epilepsy are responsible for processing nicotine in the brain.
Research at Duke University Medical Center found that nicotine may improve the symptoms of depression. Nicotine appears to improve ADHD symptoms. Some studies have focused on benefits of nicotine therapy in adults with ADHD. Nicotine (in the form of chewing gum or a transdermal patch) has been explored as an experimental treatment for OCD. Small studies show some success, even in otherwise treatment-refractory cases. ~ Wikipedia
I can find no evidence that smoking or nicotine worsens mental illness.
Eric

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Smoking increases mental illness risk?? poser938 5/2/14
Re: Smoking increases mental illness risk?? » poser938 Phillipa 5/2/14
Re: Smoking increases mental illness risk?? poser938 5/3/14
Re: Smoking increases mental illness risk?? Phil 5/4/14
Re: Smoking increases mental illness risk?? Christ_empowered 5/4/14
Re: Smoking increases mental illness risk?? Phillipa 5/4/14
Re: Smoking increases mental illness risk?? » poser938 phidippus 5/4/14
Re: Smoking increases mental illness risk?? poser938 5/5/14
Re: Smoking increases mental illness risk?? alexandra_k 5/5/14
Re: Smoking increases mental illness risk?? poser938 5/6/14
Re: Smoking increases mental illness risk?? » poser938 phidippus 5/6/14
Re: Smoking increases mental illness risk?? alexandra_k 5/6/14
Re: Smoking increases mental illness risk?? poser938 5/6/14
Re: Smoking increases mental illness risk?? alexandra_k 5/6/14
Re: Smoking increases mental illness risk?? poser938 5/6/14
Re: Smoking increases mental illness risk?? » poser938 Phillipa 5/7/14
Re: Smoking increases mental illness risk?? » Phillipa phidippus 5/7/14
Smoking Cessation eases Depression poser938 5/8/14
Re: Smoking Cessation eases Depression » poser938 phidippus 5/8/14

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