Episode 23: The Neuroscience of Smoking Cigarettes

Tobacco has a long and storied history but its effects on the modern world cannot be ignored. It was hailed as a cure to many ailments for years but as we understand more - we understand that its REALLY bad for you. Something like 80-90% of lung cancer cases are related to smoking along with a plethora of other diseases. 

Curious? Want to learn more about the receptors and brain areas affected by nicotine, the active ingredient in cigarettes? Come and take a listen!

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Citations and relevant papers are below! 
1907 - Handbook of American Indians north of Mexico, Part I; Frederick Webb Hodge. Internet Archives; Bureau of American Ethnology. Published online January 21, 2019. Accessed June 13, 2022. https://digitalcommons.csumb.edu/hornbeck_ind_3/3/

Baron JA. Beneficial effects of nicotine and cigarette smoking: the real, the possible and the spurious. British medical bulletin. 1996;52(1):58-73. doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.bmb.a011533

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Health Effects of Smoking and Tobacco Use. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Published February 9, 2017. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/health_effects/index.htm#:~:text=Smoking%20causes%20cancer%2C%20heart%20disease

Psychopharmacology 3e Web Box 13.1 - Pharmacology in Action: Why Do Tobacco Plants Make Nicotine? learninglink.oup.com. Accessed June 13, 2022. https://learninglink.oup.com/access/content/psychopharmacology-3e-student-resources/psychopharmacology-3e-web-box-13-1-pharmacology-in-action-why-do-tobacco-plants-make-nicotine

PubChem. Nicotine. Nih.gov. Published 2019. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/nicotine

Holz RW, Fisher SK. Synaptic Transmission. Basic Neurochemistry: Molecular, Cellular and Medical Aspects 6th edition. Published online 1999. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK27911/

Hogg RC, Raggenbass M, Bertrand D. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors: from structure to brain function. Reviews of Physiology, Biochemistry and Pharmacology. 2003;147:1-46. doi:10.1007/s10254-003-0005-1

Taly A, Corringer PJ, Guedin D, Lestage P, Changeux JP. Nicotinic receptors: allosteric transitions and therapeutic targets in the nervous system. Nature Reviews Drug Discovery. 2009;8(9):733-750. doi:10.1038/nrd2927

Abuse NI on D. How does tobacco deliver its effects? National Institute on Drug Abuse. https://nida.nih.gov/publications/research-reports/tobacco-nicotine-e-cigarettes/how-does-tobacco-deliver-its-effects

Chen X, Stacy A, Zheng H, et al. Sensations from initial exposure to nicotine predicting adolescent smoking in China: A potential measure of vulnerability to nicotine. Nicotine & Tobacco Research. 2003;5(4):455-463. doi:10.1080/14622200307239

Laviolette SR, van der Kooy D. The neurobiology of nicotine addiction: bridging the gap from molecules to behaviour. Nature Reviews Neuroscience. 2004;5(1):55-65. doi:10.1038/nrn1298

Marshall AM, Heffernan T. Smoking harms not just your physical health, but your mental health too. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/smoking-harms-not-just-your-physical-health-but-your-mental-health-too-69021#:~:text=Long%2Dterm%20smokin