How cigarettes calm you down
Friday, April 24, 2009
The calming neurological effects of nicotine have been demonstrated
in a group of non-smokers during anger provocation. Researchers
writing in BioMed Central's open access journal Behavioral and
Brain Functions suggest that nicotine may alter the activity of
brain areas that are involved in the inhibition of negative
emotions such as anger.
Jean Gehricke led a team of researchers from the University of
California who studied the effect of nicotine patches on the
subjects' tendency to retaliate in response to anger provocation.
The subjects played a computer game and could see a video screen of
another player who they believed to be their opponent, although, in
fact, they were playing alone. After each round, the victor could
give his opponent a burst of unpleasant noise – at a duration and
volume set by the winner. In some of the subjects, nicotine was
associated with a reduced tendency to retaliate, even after
provocation by the 'opponent'.
According to Gehricke, "Participants who showed nicotine-induced
changes in anger task performance also showed changes in brain
metabolism. Nicotine-induced reductions in length of retaliation
were associated with changes in brain metabolism in response to
nicotine in brain areas responsible for orienting, planning and
processing of emotional stimuli".
The authors say that their findings support the idea that people of
an angry disposition are more susceptible to nicotine's effects,
and are therefore more likely to become addicted to cigarettes.
They conclude, "Novel behavioral treatments that affect the
cortical and limbic brain areas, like anger management training,
may aid smoking cessation efforts in anger provoking situations
that increase withdrawal and tobacco cravings".
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BioMed Central
Thanks to BioMed Central for this article.
