The Biology of Nicotine Dependence

The proceedings of a symposium on the biology of nicotine dependence held at the CIBA Foundation, London 7-9 November 1989. The reports concentrate on the behavioural pharmacology of nicotine, neurological responses of nicotine receptors and cognitive aspects of the response to nicotine.

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The Biology of Nicotine Dependence Chairman: L. L. Iversen 1990 Nicotine is a potent centrally acting drug that has profound physiological and psychological effects. It is considered to be the main agent in the maintenance of the tobacco smoking habit and is largely responsible for the behavioural and physiological responses to the inhalation of tobacco smoke. This book reviews the progress in identifying nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the brain. The techniques of molecular biology have been used to characterize these receptors and to investigate the functional differences between receptors composed of different types of subunit. Nicotine interacts with the endocrine system, particularly the corticosteroids. This may be the basis for sex-specific differences in the response to nicotine. Nicotine affects locomotor activity, but its influence on cognitive performance is still a matter of debate. The role of nicotine in maintaining the smoking habit is considered, especially the part that stimulation of dopamine release in brainstem pleasure centres may play.
The development of tolerance to nicotine is clearly established, but the phenomenon of withdrawal is less well understood. Elucidation of the action of nicotine in the body is essential if treatments are to be developed to help people give up smoking; this book shows that advances in this area are being made, and contains contributions on potential therapeutic strategies. Related Ciba Foundation Symposia: No 123 Antidepressants and receptor function Chairman: D. Murphy 1986 ISBN 0 471 91089 9 No 132 Motor areas of the cerebral cortex Chairman: R. Porter 1987 ISBN 0 471 91098 8