Thursday, May 16, 2024
ADVT 
Health

Smoking linked with schizophrenia

Darpan News Desk IANS, 17 Sep, 2014 07:41 AM
    There is a close association between schizophrenia and increased rates of tobacco smoking. The relationship between them stems, in part, from an effort by patients to use nicotine to self-medicate symptoms and cognitive impairment associated with the disease, shows a new study.
     
    Researchers at Yale University's school of medicine found that the level of nicotine receptors in the brain was lower in schizophrenia patients than in a matched healthy group. Further, smoking, which is known to increase the levels of receptors for nicotine in the brain, had this effect in both groups, although it was blunted in schizophrenia.
     
    However, in the schizophrenia group, the smoking-related increase in the level of nicotine receptors was associated with lower levels of social withdrawal, blunted emotional and motivational responses, as well as better cognitive function, found the study.
     
    Nicotine mimics the actions of a natural chemical messenger, acetylcholine, which stimulates the receptors for nicotine in the brain.
     
    "We found that lower nicotinic-acetylcholine receptor availability in smokers with schizophrenia is associated with worse negative symptoms and worse performance on tests of executive function," explained Irina Esterlis, an assistant professor at Yale University.
     
    These findings may be relevant to the high rates of smoking in schizophrenia.
     
    "The data seem to suggest that smoking might produce some clinical benefits for some patients by increasing the availability of receptor targets for nicotine in the brain," noted John Krystal, editor of the journal Biological Psychiatry that published the study.
     
    "These findings suggest that nicotinic-acetycholine receptors may be a target for developing treatments for negative symptoms and cognitive deficits associated with schizophrenia, for which no effective treatments exist," Krystal concluded. 

    MORE Health ARTICLES

    Cure for glaucoma in sight

    Cure for glaucoma in sight
    A cure is now in sight for the dangerous eye disease glaucoma, which is a leading cause of irreversible blindness, says a new study....

    Cure for glaucoma in sight

    Sleeping brain active even when you doze off

    Sleeping brain active even when you doze off
    Have you ever performed calculations or classified words before falling asleep and then experienced continuing those calculations during your snooze? Well, salute your wonder brain....

    Sleeping brain active even when you doze off

    Even Fluoride-rich Toothpaste Can't Kill Bacteria

    Even Fluoride-rich Toothpaste Can't Kill Bacteria
    Know why your toothpaste is not able to fight bad breath or tooth decay? Blame it on the bacteria itself.

    Even Fluoride-rich Toothpaste Can't Kill Bacteria

    AB blood type may increase dementia risk

    AB blood type may increase dementia risk
    "Our study looks at blood type and risk of cognitive impairment," said study author Mary Cushman from the University of Vermont, College of Medicine in Burlington....

    AB blood type may increase dementia risk

    High intake of pain killers damages kidney: Expert

    High intake of pain killers damages kidney: Expert
    High intake of pain killers during migraine can lead to long-term side effects such as kidney damage and ulcers in the stomach, a health expert said here Thursday....

    High intake of pain killers damages kidney: Expert

    'Diabetics at a higher risk of heart failure'

    'Diabetics at a higher risk of heart failure'
    People with diabetes who otherwise appear healthy may have a six-fold higher risk of developing heart failure regardless of their cholesterol levels, shows an alarming study....

    'Diabetics at a higher risk of heart failure'