For example, it was reported that nicotine causes an increase in

For example, it was reported that nicotine causes an increase in the number of 5-HT transporters in prefrontal cortex and hippocampus.62 This observation could explain the loss of 5-HT observed in the dorsal hippocampus following chronic nicotine infusion. Since it is known that the dorsal hippocampus may be associated with anxiogenic effects, a reduction in 5-HT in this brain area would be expected to cause

an anxiolytic effect.63 Nicotinic receptors and sleep disorders Another association between nicotine and depression is provided by the examination of circadian rhythms. Major depressive disorders are typically characterized by the alteration of sleep, which is thought to further imbalance the patient’s equilibrium. Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical On the basis of the observation that the frequency of major depression is increased during nicotine Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical cessation, it was inferred that nicotine could protect against depression.64 In support of this hypothesis, it was reported that administration of nicotine might have beneficial effects on both sleep and depression.65 Together, the high level of expression of nicotinic Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical receptors in

the thalamus and the determinant role of click here thalamocortical loops during sleep further underline the relevance of the nicotinic receptors in sleep regulation. In addition, it was recently shown that nicotine inhibits sleep-promoting neuron activity in rat brain slices.66 These data illustrate the importance of neurotransmitters in the regulation of sleep and suggest Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical that presence of nicotine in the brain may modify sleep control. The importance of nAChRs function during sleep in humans has been further illustrated by recent genetic analysis. The finding in humans of an association between a genetically transmissible form of nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy with mutations in the genes that encode for either the α4 or the β2 subunits of the nAChRs shed a new light on the contribution of this family of ligandgated channels to neurological and sleep disorders.67 To date, all mutations analyzed Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical in functional studies have shown an increase in ACh sensitivity.49,68,69

This suggests that this specific form of epilepsy, which is caused by an imbalance between inhibition and excitation, is due to an increase in neuronal nicotinic receptor function. Phosphoprotein phosphatase While providing preliminary evidences of the determining contribution of neuronal nicotinic receptors in neurological disorders, these findings also indicate that mutations in the genes that encode for neuronal nicotinic receptors could play a role in other brain dysfunctions, such as depression. Conclusions The state “smoking is dangerous for your health” is mainly identified by the general population as meaning that smoking causes cardiovascular and respiratory impairments, while its relevance for psychiatric and mood disorders is generally not considered.

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