Nicotine's New Appeal

Throughout history, nicotine has had a pretty bad rap. Known as the main ingredient that gives cigarettes its addictive kick, nicotine has ultimately led to the death of 100 million smokers worldwide in the 20th century, and will led to one billion deaths in the 21st century if smoking trends continue. But let’s face it; there are some good qualities about nicotine too. Smokers may use it to calm jitters, perk themselves up, and (though not suggested) to lose weight loss. Patients of mental illness have a high rate of tobacco smoking because of nicotine’s calming affects. Because of these talents, scientists have sought after compounds that could deliver the “good without the harm,” for over 20 years. Now, they have developed experimental drugs containing molecules that are mere shadows of nicotine that are able to have to positive effects of nicotine. These drugs offer new therapies for diseases that now have few treatment options—boosting cognition in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, calming hyperactivity, relieving pain or treating mental illness. Similar drugs are also in early testing for Parkinson’s disease, inflammation and even obesity. How do these nicotine-like drugs work, you say?

Well, to start off, the brain has a myriad of nicotinic receptors. Receptors are like docking stations, allowing molecules to attach to a cell and set a chain of events in motion. Normally, in a tobacco-free existence, these receptors are not waiting around for nicotine, but instead for acetylcholine (which nicotine just happens to be an “impostor” of), a powerful neurotransmitter associated in the brain with attention, learning and memory. Chemists have produced molecules with selectivity for only one particular nicotinic receptor type at a time, particularly with nicotinic receptors alpha-4-beta-2 and alpha-7, which are both very common in the brain. In 2006, researchers released the results of a study of a nicotine-like drug designed to improve cognition in people with Alzheimer’s disease. The drug is designed to bind only to the alpha-4-beta-2 receptors in the brain and boost other neurotransmitters. After taking the drug for 16 weeks, patients showed improvements on tests of attention and memory.

Also, there has been evidence that the nicotinic drugs have not shown signs of causing cravings or dependence. This means that, for the first time in human history, drugs may come along that have a nicotine-like relationship with the brain in a way that has nothing to do with addiction. This means that, for the first time in human history, nicotinic drugs may come along that have a nicotine-like relationship with the brain in a way that has nothing to do with addiction; which is a much, much better improvement than its past life-killing reputation.

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/feature/id/37955/title/Nicotines_new_appeal

Tarah James
Section 502