The Biological Aspects of Nicotine Addiction
Nicotine is the critical factor in tobacco smoke that dictates addiction and continued use of tobacco (Stolerman and Shoaib 1991; Belfour and Fagerstrom 1996; Benowita 1996; Rose and Corrigall 1997). Markou (2008) stated that “nicotine is one of the main psychoactive ingredients in tobacco that contributes to the harmful tobacco smoking habit (Stolerman & Jarvis 1995; Royal College of Physicians of London 2000) leading to high morbidity and mortality throughout the world (Murray & Lopez 1997).” Mayo and McGhee (2010) stated that “the complex behavioral phenomenon of drug addiction is ultimately a biological process, where repeated exposure to a drug alters the activity and metabolism of neurons that
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Mukherjee (2003) stated that “when tobacco is smoked, nicotine enters the bloodstream through the lungs and reaches the brain faster than the drugs that enter the body directly through the veins. When it is chewed or sniffed, nicotine passes through the mucosal membranes of the mouth or nose to enter the bloodstream. Nicotine can also enter the bloodstream by passing through the skin. Nicotine reaches the brain within seven seconds. The sudden burst of nicotine causes an instant high blood pressure which is caused by the stimulation of the adrenal glands resulting in discharge of epinephrine. The release of adrenaline causes a sudden release of glucose as well as increase in blood pressure, respiration and heart rate. In addition, nicotine indirectly causes release of dopamine in the brain regions that control pressure and motivation. Nicotine is distributed throughout the body and brain where it activates specific types of receptors known as cholinergic receptors (Mukherjee, …show more content…
(2015) reported that “nicotine acts via 3 major mechanisms, producing physiological and pathological effects on a variety of organ systems.
1. Ganglionic transmission.
2. Nicotine acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) on chromaffin cells via catecholamines.
3. Central nervous system (CNS) stimulation of nAChRs.
Brain imaging studies demonstrate that nicotine acutely increases activity in the prefrontal cortex and visual systems. There is release of a variety of neurotransmitters important in drug induced reward. Nicotine also causes an increases oxidative stress and neuronal apoptosis, DNA damage, reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxide increase. nAChRs were originally thought to be limited to neuronal cells, however, studies have identified functional nAChRs. Actions on nicotine receptors produce a wide variety of acute and long-term effects on organ systems, cell multiplication and apoptosis, throughout the body (Mishra et al.,
Nicotine has many various effects on the body. In small doses nicotine can serves as a stimulant, entering the bloodstream and promoting the flow of adrenaline, a stimulating hormone. It also raises the blood pressure and reduces the appetite, and it may cause nausea and vomiting.
1). Another study shows that nicotine stimulates the adrenal medulla to secrete hormones such as epinephrine and norepinephrine which are responsible for the increase in the pulsation rate (George, "Effects of smoking on cardiovascular function: the role of nicotine and carbon monoxide", 2015, pp. 278-280).
respiration, and heart rate. As with drugs such as cocaine and heroin, nicotine increases levels
It is the most common addiction throughout the world with 1.1 trillion people smoking currently, consisting about a third of the population over 15 years old. While nicotine is the addictive substance in the tobacco that causes addiction, tobacco will increase health risks of heart attack and vascular diseases. Nicotine dependency is a complex brain disease, and we need to start thinking of it as such. New ways of ingesting this substance have been created, that try to lure and appeal to demographic, particularly younger, to consume nicotine. Regardless of how many years someone has smoked, stopping at any point will valuable and improve your quality of life. Changing the public’s view on addiction is a subject of importance, so many of others can view this as a brain disease more than a personal decision. To fight this addiction, you have to rewire your behaviors in your brain and have a drive to overcome this horrific addiction. The brain can luckily keep changing and be trained to stop cravings with a multitude of different strategies. Anyone can be affected by addiction, we need start treating addicts with evidence-based practices rather than jailing them. Through more education and laws enforced, we can only hope that the number of tobacco users can decrease more and everyone can learn to live a healthier, full life without addiction and the painful diseases that derive from
In 1988, the Ministry of Health in the United States defined the nicotine as an addictive substance. Cigarettes and other derivatives substances generate tobacco dependence. The addictive mechanisms are similar to the addiction mechanisms to drugs such as cocaine and heroin. Cigarettes are highly efficient at delivering nicotine and other addictive substances. The average smoker takes in 1 to 2 mg of nicotine per cigarette each time they inhale. Nicotine reaches the brain within 10 seconds which contributes to its great power of addiction.
As reported by Heather’s, Nicotine contains a large amount of toxic substance which can lead to several causes and effects to health. The substances in nicotine effects on the brain and its addicted. When a person smokes, the nicotine substance travels to the brain within 10 seconds and changes the function of the brain. “Blood that enters the lungs to picks up oxygen also pickup something else – the nicotine”. It also rises the blood pressure by five to ten points and heart rate by ten to twenty beats per minute. However, nicotine also performs as a sense of feeling of pleasure. Nicotine reaches to brain within a speedy rate and disperses soon conversely, its increases use of cigarettes.
I understand the appeal of smoking as an easy, momentous fix to a person's mood because of the instant result to feel better. Stressed? Smoke a cigarette. Frustrated? Smoke a cigarette. Unhappy? Smoke a cigarette. Nicotine acts on nicotinic cholinergic receptors that triggers the release of neurotransmitters that produce rewarding psychoactive effects. Vani and Shyamaladevi explain, the functional antagonism presented in cigarette smoking is related to desensitization of nicotinic cholinergic receptors because nicotine in cigarette smoke upregulates the nicotinic cholinergic receptors to interact with the noradrenergic, cannabinoid, dopaminergic, cholinergic, and serotonergic systems and increases the levels of norepinephrine, dopamine,
Tobacco is a nervous system stimulant that triggers complex biochemical and neurotransmitter disruptions. It elevates heart rate and blood pressure, constricts blood vessels, irritates lung tissue, and diminishes your ability to taste and smell (Health).
Nicotine is the chemical compound found in both traditional cigarettes and some electronic cigarettes. It tricks our body into releasing adrenaline and other chemicals, specifically dopamine, which is known a “pleasure-causing” chemical. It’s the reason for
The main effect of nicotine is cancer. This drug can infect cancer on a person anywhere in the body but most common is lung cancer. Some short-term effects are bad breath when smoking, more alert and focused, relaxed, headaches, dizziness, tingling sensations in fingers or toes, cramps, increased blood pressure/heart rate, a reduced appetite and lower oxygen levels (Brands, 1998).
Once nicotine is in the blood stream it flows almost immediately to the brain. The carbon monoxide that is inhaled through the use of a cigarette reduces the amount of oxygen the blood can carry. The reduced amount of oxygen and the effects of nicotine delivered to the brain cause an imbalance of the amount of oxygen that is demanded and the amount of oxygen supplied. As a result of a reduced amount of oxygen in the blood stream the heart rate increases, because the heart has to increase the flow of blood to deliver the amount of oxygen that is required throughout the body. The body’s blood pressure also increases when nicotine is introduced into the body. Nicotine stimulates the adrenal gland which releases adrenalin and noradrenalin. The release of these hormones can have numerous effects on the body’s vascular system and cause an increase in blood pressure.
Most cigarettes have eight to nine mg of nicotine, though only one mg is transferred to the smoker. Nicotine increases the heart rate, raises the blood pressure and causes blood clotting to the smoker. The most important fact about nicotine is that it has no medical value. Other drugs like marijuana, heroine, and cocaine have no medical value as well but for some reason, cigarettes are legal in the US. An interesting fact that many people do not know is that nicotine, the addicting drug in cigarettes, is more addicting then marijuana, heroine, and cocaine. There has not been one reported death due to marijuana. In 1988, the U.S. Surgeon General reported that nicotine is just as addictive as heroin and cocaine. A "hit" of nicotine reaches the brain in seven seconds, twice as fast as heroin injected into the vein. And still the cigarette is still legal.
Nicotine is a powerful substance in controlling brain function. It interacts with specific receptors in brain tissue, and initiates metabolic and electrical activity in the brain.
Additionally, nicotine tightens the blood vessels which slows down blood flow. The health effects of smoking are frightfully damaging and in many cases, deadly. The chemicals in tobacco smoke are breathed in into the lungs and then travel throughout the body.
Smoking is not just a bad habit, but also a complex addiction. Experts believe that nicotine exerts its powerful addictive effects by