In the Sherlock Holmes series starring Benedict Cumberbatch, the famous detective uses nicotine pouches to make better thinking. How much truth is there in that? Can it stimulate cognitive functioning? Is it able to sharpen your mind and improve your memory? And, even more importantly: what are the effects of nicotine on the brain? Neuroscientists have already asked those questions and found some answers, though they are not yet definitive.
The use of the first nicotine pouches
It all goes back to 1984, when three American researchers, Jed Rose, Murray Jarvik and Daniel Rose developed a transdermal nicotine patch that they tested on themselves. They used their own physiological responses to prove that it was safe so that they could move on to the clinical trial phase in smokers.
That patch released medicated nicotine in small but continuous amounts through the skin. Therefore, its main goal was to help reduce withdrawal symptoms while people were getting rid of their smoking habit.
Unlike tobacco, nicotine replacement therapy, as it is scientifically known, does not contain the other toxic components found in tobacco, so it is considered less harmful to health. In addition, it facilitates dose control, allowing you to gradually reduce dependence.
For those reasons, it’s no surprise that nicotine pouches have become popular as a smoking cessation treatment. That growing use has also led scientists to discover other benefits of nicotine pouches, previously unknown.
Nicotine to improve concentration
When we want to concentrate and stay awake and alert, we usually reach for a coffee. However, a study conducted at the University of Sports Medicine of China concluded that “nicotine is beneficial for mood and cognition in humans.” These researchers found that it improves cognitive functions and stimulates brain function.
Basically, when nicotine enters the body in low doses, it acts as a stimulant as it increases your heart rate and blood pressure while speeding up your breathing.
At the brain level, nicotine fundamentally influences the dopaminergic-mesolimbic system, which is responsible for regulating mood, motivation and the reinforcement of pleasurable activities. That explains why nicotine is addictive, but it also gives a clue as to why it improves concentration.
In fact, another research conducted at the National Institute on Drug Use in Baltimore found that nicotine is effective in improving attention and orientation, speeding up reaction time, and making short-term and working memory more accurate.
Nicotine also supplants the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which is involved in learning and memory. For this reason, its impact on neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s or even psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia is being studied.
An ally in preventing dementia?
Probably one of the most promising research directions on nicotine has to do with its effect on mild cognitive impairment. A study published in the journal Science suggests that nicotine could prevent the aggregation process of amyloid beta protein, which forms harmful plaques in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients.
These plaques inhibit mitochondrial function, which promotes the formation of reactive oxygen species and stimulates inflammatory processes. According to the cholinergic hypothesis, the cognitive impairment characteristic of Alzheimer’s comes precisely from deficiencies in central cholinergic neurotransmission due to the loss of acetylcholine. In that case, nicotine could be beneficial by supplanting the substance.
Another research conducted at Vanderbilt University with 663 people who had mild cognitive impairment or who suffered from Alzheimer’s revealed that nicotine patches “significantly improved attention, episodic memory, and overall functioning with minimal side effects in participants with mild cognitive impairment.” In fact, its use in Parkinson’s patients is also being investigated.
Nicotine to Think Better and Treat Some Psychiatric Disorders
A few years ago, some doctors found that between 80-90% of people with schizophrenia smoke and many are heavy smokers, something that made them suspect that they were “self-medicating”.
A study published in the journal Nature Medicine reinforces that hypothesis. Although it was carried out with animals, the researchers found that nicotine could indeed reduce the symptoms associated with hypofrontality, which involves a reduction in neuronal activation in the prefrontal cortex of the brain.
Hypofrontality is thought to be the root cause of many of the cognitive impairments experienced by people with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, such as attention problems, difficulty remembering things, understanding verbal explanations, and making decisions.
In fact, the potential beneficial effects of nicotine on adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are also being studied. One of the theories that explain this disorder refers to a deficiency in the genes responsible for regulating dopamine, so the action of nicotine on the cholinergic system could improve their cognitive performance by making up for this deficiency.
So, is nicotine good for the brain, or does it have fine print?
The truth is that more research is needed to prove the potential beneficial effects of nicotine on the brain and it is important to keep in mind that tobacco use is not recommended under any circumstances. Clinical research is done with nicotine patches.
It is also essential to clarify that nicotine is not completely harmless, despite the fact that it is a substance that is naturally present in tobacco leaves or even in plants such as aubergines, peppers, tomatoes or cauliflower, although in smaller amounts.
Nicotine can affect the endothelium and promote the onset of atherosclerosis. In large amounts, it can also increase the risk of developing an addiction, lead to mood disorders, and decrease impulse control. In fact, it can even disrupt synapses, affecting precisely the areas of the brain related to attention and learning.
A study conducted at the University of Antwerp revealed that the key could be in the dosage. According to these researchers, there is an inverted U-shaped relationship between nicotine and performance. That is, lower levels of nicotine provide greater benefits, but higher levels imply overstimulation and impair performance.
It is important to remember that nicotine pouches are not suitable for non-smokers or minors, and it is recommended to use them in moderation and responsibly. If you are considering trying nicotine pouches, it is advisable to consult a healthcare professional for more information and personalized guidance.
References:
Alhowail, A. (2021) Molecular insights into the benefits of nicotine on memory and cognition. Mol Med Rep; 23(6): 398.
Li, J. et. Al. (2018) Nicotine induces endothelial dysfunction and promotes atherosclerosis via GTPCH1. J Cell Mol Med; 22(11): 5406–5417.
Koukouli, F. et. Al. (2017) Nicotine reverses hypofrontality in animal models of addiction and schizophrenia. Nature Medicine; 23: 347–354.
Niemegeers, P. et. Al. (2014) The effects of nicotine on cognition are dependent on baseline performance. EurNeuropsychopharmacol; 24(7): 1015-1023.
Heishman, S. J., Kleykamp, B. A. & Singleton, E. G. (2010) Meta-analysis of the acute effects of nicotine and smoking on human performance. Psychopharmacology; 210: 453–469.
Potter, A. S. & Newhouse, P. A. (2008) Acute nicotine improves cognitive deficits in young adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. PharmacolBiochemBehav; 88(4):407-17.
Mikhail, F. et. al. (1996) Preferential Formation of Benzo[a]pyrene Adducts at Lung Cancer Mutational Hotspots in P53. Science; 274(5286): 430-432.
Rose, J. E., Jarvik, M. E. & Rose, K. D. (1984) Transdermal administration of nicotine. Drug Alcohol Depend; 13(3): 209-213.
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