PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Nicotine withdrawal traced to very specific group of brain cells

2013-11-14
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Mary Beth O'Leary
moleary@cell.com
617-397-2802
Cell Press
Nicotine withdrawal traced to very specific group of brain cells Nicotine withdrawal might take over your body, but it doesn't take over your brain. The symptoms of nicotine withdrawal are driven by a very specific group of neurons within a very specific brain region, according to a report in Current Biology, a Cell Press publication, on November 14. Although caution is warranted, the researchers say, the findings in mice suggest that therapies directed at this group of neurons might one day help people quit smoking.

"We were surprised to find that one population of neurons within a single brain region could actually control physical nicotine withdrawal behaviors," says Andrew Tapper of the Brudnick Neuropsychiatric Research Institute at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

Tapper and his colleagues first obtained mice addicted to nicotine by delivering the drug to mice in their water for a period of 6 weeks. Then they took the nicotine away. The mice started scratching and shaking in the way a dog does when it is wet. Close examination of the animals' brains revealed abnormally increased activity in neurons within a single region known as the interpeduncular nucleus.

When the researchers artificially activated those neurons with light, animals showed behaviors that looked like nicotine withdrawal, whether they had been exposed to the drug or not. The reverse was also true: treatments that lowered activity in those neurons alleviated nicotine withdrawal symptoms.

That the interpeduncular nucleus might play such a role in withdrawal from nicotine makes sense because the region receives connections from other areas of the brain involved in nicotine use and response, as well as feelings of anxiety. The interpeduncular nucleus is also densely packed with nicotinic acetylcholine receptors that are the molecular targets of nicotine.

It is much less clear whether the findings related to nicotine will be relevant to other forms of addiction, but there are some hints that they may.

"Smoking is highly prevalent in people with other substance-use disorders, suggesting a potential interaction between nicotine and other drugs of abuse," Tapper says. "In addition, naturally occurring mutations in genes encoding the nicotinic receptor subunits that are found in the interpeduncular nucleus have been associated with drug and alcohol dependence."

###

Current Biology, Zhao-Shea et al.: "Activation of GABAergic neurons in the interpeduncular nucleus triggers physical nicotine withdrawal symptoms."

END



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Anthrax toxin can lurk for days in cells as a lingering threat

2013-11-14
Anthrax toxin can lurk for days in cells as a lingering threat The deadly toxin produced by anthrax bacteria can hide out in human cells for days, invisible both to our immune systems and to the cellular machinery responsible for destroying proteins. The findings reported ...

New research reveals dengue fever mystery in 2 US cities both exposed to risk

2013-11-14
PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 14-Nov-2013 [ | E-mail ] var addthis_pub="eurekalert"; var addthis_options = "favorites, delicious, digg, facebook, twitter, google, newsvine, reddit, slashdot, stumbleupon, buzz, more" Share Contact: Preeti Singh psingh@burnesscommunications.com 301-280-5722 Bridget DeSimone bdesimone@burnesscommunications.com 301.280.5735 American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene New research reveals dengue fever mystery in 2 US cities both exposed to risk ASTMH Annual Meeting showcases new findings on dengue and risks of future ...

A CNIO team discovers that senescence also plays a role in embryo development

2013-11-14
A CNIO team discovers that senescence also plays a role in embryo development Researchers postulate that senescence appeared during evolution as a developmental mechanism: as the embryo grows and its different tissues change, senescence switches ...

New malaria vaccines roadmap targets next generation products by 2030

2013-11-14
New malaria vaccines roadmap targets next generation products by 2030 Partners agree on approach for developing vaccines capable of reducing malaria cases by 75 percent, and to enable malaria elimination WASHINGTON, DC - 14 November 2013 – The world should aim to have vaccines which ...

Anthrax bacteria play hide and seek

2013-11-14
Anthrax bacteria play hide and seek An EPFL team discovers that, using exosomes, the lethal factor of the anthrax bacterium can travel undetected through the body for days The bacterium responsible for anthrax develops a strategy reminiscent ...

A*STAR scientists bring to light mechanism of drug for infections

2013-11-14
A*STAR scientists bring to light mechanism of drug for infections New knowledge of drug mechanism paves road to new treatment approaches for patients suffering from frequent bacterial infections 1. Scientists at A*STAR's ...

Are probiotics a promising treatment strategy for depression?

2013-11-14
Are probiotics a promising treatment strategy for depression? Reports new study in Biological Psychiatry Philadelphia, PA, November 14, 2013 – Probiotics are not new, but their status as a nutritional buzzword is. Most folks have now heard and seen the term countless ...

Amazon rainforest more able to withstand drought than previously thought

2013-11-14
Amazon rainforest more able to withstand drought than previously thought New research suggests that the Amazon rainforest may be more able to cope with dry conditions than previously predicted New research suggests that the Amazon rainforest may be more able to ...

1 in 7 students has dabbled in 'smart' drugs

2013-11-14
1 in 7 students has dabbled in 'smart' drugs This news release is available in German. American and European studies prove that students use prescription medication or drugs to enhance their cognitive performance. Researchers from the universities ...

Researchers from IMIM describe a new function of 2 molecules involved in metastasis

2013-11-14
Researchers from IMIM describe a new function of 2 molecules involved in metastasis Transcription factor Snail1 and enzyme LOXL2 are key to the capacity of tumor cells to invade other tissues Researchers from IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Chung-Ang University develops chloride-resistant Ru nanocatalysts for sustainable hydrogen production from seawater

Afghanistan’s August 2025 earthquake reveals the cost of international isolation, UN scientists warn

Shortlist announced for Panmure House Prize

Small nuclear RNA base editing a safer alternative to CRISPR, UC San Diego researchers find

Can Hayabusa2 touchdown? New study reveals space mission’s target asteroid is tinier and faster than thought

Millisecond windows of time may be key to how we hear, study finds

Graz University of Technology opens up new avenues in lung cancer research with digital cell twin

Exoplanets are not water worlds

Study shows increasing ‘healthy competition’ between menu options nudges patients towards greener, lower-fat hospital food choices

New insights into melanoma plasticity uncover a critical role of iron metabolism

A graphene sandwich — deposited or transferred?

New light-powered motor fits inside a strand of hair

Oil rig study reveals vital role of tiny hoverflies

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia researchers boost widespread use of dental varnish across pediatric network

iRECODE: A new computational method that brings clarity to single-cell analysis

New NUS-MOH study: Singapore’s healthcare sector carbon emissions 18% lower than expected, a milestone in the city-state’s net zero journey

QUT scientists create material to turn waste heat into clean power

Major new report sets out how to tackle the ‘profound and lasting impact’ of COVID-19 on cardiovascular health

Cosmic crime scene: White dwarf found devouring Pluto-like icy world

Major report tackles Covid’s cardiovascular crisis head-on

A third of licensed GPs in England not working in NHS general practice

ChatGPT “thought on the fly” when put through Ancient Greek maths puzzle

Engineers uncover why tiny particles form clusters in turbulent air

GLP-1RA drugs dramatically reduce death and cardiovascular risk in psoriasis patients

Psoriasis linked to increased risk of vision-threatening eye disease, study finds

Reprogramming obesity: New drug from Italian biotech aims to treat the underlying causes of obesity

Type 2 diabetes may accelerate development of multiple chronic diseases, particularly in the early stages, UK Biobank study suggests

Resistance training may improve nerve health, slow aging process, study shows

Common and inexpensive medicine halves the risk of recurrence in patients with colorectal cancer

SwRI-built instruments to monitor, provide advanced warning of space weather events

[Press-News.org] Nicotine withdrawal traced to very specific group of brain cells