Tag Archives: smoking

Cigarette smoking is a common addiction, largely thanks to nicotine. When inhaled, nicotine passes across the alveoli in the lungs, into the bloodstream, and reaches the brain. There, it results in the production of dopamine, which induces pleasure, reduces stress, alters blood pressure and heart rate, heightens alertness and increases information-processing ability in the smoker.ContinueContinue reading “Just one shot to make quitting a success”

Diseases related to tobacco use are prevalent throughout the world, resulting in more than 5 million deaths per year; in the US alone, annual tobacco-related mortality is ~400,000 and annual healthcare costs are estimated at $96 billion. Nicotine is the primary psychoactive component of tobacco, triggering behavioral responses such as reward and anxiety reduction. IdentifyingContinueContinue reading “Blocking nicotine responses in the brain”