Nicotine creates cascade of effects in the brain that get worse over time
Published on February 2, 2017 at 9:20 AM · No Comments
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The first period of nicotine abstinence proceeded as expected. The surprise came after three months when the lab rats suddenly became fearless and sought out well-lighted areas that prey animals normally avoid. At the same time, signaling in the brain's reward system changed, as shown by a study at Sahlgrenska Academy.
"This indicates very long-lasting changes caused by nicotine that were previously unknown. The nicotine appears to create a cascade of effects that only get worse and worse over time," says Julia Morud Lekholm, researcher in addiction biology at the Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology.
The experiment was done another two times. The researchers wanted to make sure that the unexpected results were not an isolated case. In total, 108 animals were tested, of which half received nicotine and half a salt solution over a three-week period. The outcome was the same every time.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20170202/Nicotine-creates-cascade-of-effects-in-the-brain-that-get-worse-over-time.aspx
