The Yin and Yang of Nicotine: Harmful during Development, Beneficial in Adult Patient Populations

Counotte, Danielle S.; Smit, August B.; Spijker, Sabine

doi:10.3389/fphar.2012.00180

“…This topic covers several areas of clinical and basic research focused on the effect of NAD on brain function and behavior during development and adulthood. As expressed by Spijker and colleagues (Counotte et al, 2012), there is a Ying and a Yang in the effect of nicotine and its metabolites on the brain (Figure 1). …”

mentioning

confidence: 83%

“…These heterogeneous effects can be the result of a differential effect of NADs according to the brain state. Counotte et al (2012) discuss the diverse responses to nicotine on attention, depending on several factors including the extent of exposure (acute vs. chronic), smoking behavior, the developmental stage at which the brain is exposed to nicotine and the presence of psychiatric conditions such as, schizophrenia and Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Psychiatric conditions and/or chronic nicotine exposure may also alter the expression or responsiveness of the cholinergic receptors in the brain and consequently the effect of nicotine on higher order cognitive functions.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Brain effects of nicotine and derived compounds

Moran¹

2013

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“…This topic covers several areas of clinical and basic research focused on the effect of NAD on brain function and behavior during development and adulthood. As expressed by Spijker and colleagues (Counotte et al, 2012), there is a Ying and a Yang in the effect of nicotine and its metabolites on the brain (Figure 1).…”

mentioning

confidence: 87%

“…This topic covers several areas of clinical and basic research focused on the effect of NAD on brain function and behavior during development and adulthood. As expressed by Spijker and colleagues (Counotte et al, 2012), there is a Ying and a Yang in the effect of nicotine and its metabolites on the brain (Figure 1).The influence of NAD on addictive behavior and the mechanisms involved are of great interest for public health. One of our articles explores the molecular mechanisms associated with the differences in addiction to tobacco between genders.…”

mentioning

confidence: 94%

“…These heterogeneous effects can be the result of a differential effect of NADs according to the brain state. Counotte et al (2012) discuss the diverse responses to nicotine on attention, depending on several factors including the extent of exposure (acute vs. chronic), smoking behavior, the developmental stage at which the brain is exposed to nicotine and the presence of psychiatric conditions such as, schizophrenia and Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Psychiatric conditions and/or chronic nicotine exposure may also alter the expression or responsiveness of the cholinergic receptors in the brain and consequently the effect of nicotine on higher order cognitive functions.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Brain effects of Nicotine and derived compounds

2013

Frontiers Research Topics

0

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Recent evidence in the field of tobacco research has provided new insights about the mechanisms underlying the effects of nicotine and its derivatives (NAD) in human and animal behavior and pathology. This topic covers several areas of clinical and basic research focused on the effect of NAD on brain function and behavior during development and adulthood. As expressed by Spijker and colleagues (Counotte et al., 2012), there is a Ying and a Yang in the effect of nicotine and its metabolites on the brain (Figure 1).The influence of NAD on addictive behavior and the mechanisms involved are of great interest for public health. One of our articles explores the molecular mechanisms associated with the differences in addiction to tobacco between genders. They investigated the effect of nicotine, cotinine, and anabaseine on the estrogen biosynthesis in the brain. They show experimental evidence that these compounds affect estrogen synthesis in the brain via the modulation of the last enzyme of the estrogen biosynthesis named aromatase. Based on this evidence they discussed the hypothesis that brain aromatase mediates the effect of nicotine in the brain resulting in sex differences in smoking behavior. Prenatal NAD exposure may affect addictive behavior On the other hand, the effect of nicotine on neuroplasticity is controversial, and its improvement and deterioration by NAD have been described. In fact, the investigation by several research groups about the effect of nicotine on attention (Kadir et al., 2006) and learning and memory have given heterogeneous results (Smith et al., 2006). Grundey et al. (2012) show new evidence of a negative effect of nicotine spray on facilitatory plasticity and a diminished reduction in excitability after transcranial direct current stimulation. These results differ from the effects observed after chronic nicotine administration. They attributed these differences to the adaptive nicotinic receptor changes induced by continue nicotine exposure. These heterogeneous effects can be the result of a differential effect of NADs according to the brain state. Counotte et al. (2012) discuss the diverse responses to nicotine on attention, depending on several factors including the extent of exposure (acute vs. chronic), smoking behavior, the developmental stage at which the brain is exposed to nicotine and the presence of psychiatric conditions such as, schizophrenia and Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Psychiatric conditions and/or chronic nicotine exposure may also alter the expression or responsiveness of the cholinergic receptors in the brain and consequently the effect of nicotine on higher order cognitive functions.Some epidemiological studies have shown data suggesting an inverse relationship between tobacco consumption and the development of AD (Lee, 1994). It has also been found post-mortem that the levels of b-amyloid peptides (Aβ) (considered the neurotoxic agents in AD brains) were significantly decreased in the brains of smoking AD patients compared to non-smokers with the disease. The putat...

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Plant alkaloids that cause developmental defects through the disruption of cholinergic neurotransmission

Green

¹

,

Lee

²

,

Welch

³

et al. 2013

Birth Defects Research Pt C

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The exposure of a developing embryo or fetus to alkaloids from plants, plant products, or plant extracts has the potential to cause developmental defects in humans and animals. These defects may have multiple causes, but those induced by piperidine and quinolizidine alkaloids arise from the inhibition of fetal movement and are generally referred to as multiple congenital contracture-type deformities. These skeletal deformities include arthrogyrposis, kyposis, lordosis, scoliosis, and torticollis, associated secondary defects, and cleft palate. Structure-function studies have shown that plant alkaloids with a piperidine ring and a minimum of a three-carbon side-chain α to the piperidine nitrogen are teratogenic. Further studies determined that an unsaturation in the piperidine ring, as occurs in gamma coniceine, or anabaseine, enhances the toxic and teratogenic activity, whereas the N-methyl derivatives are less potent. Enantiomers of the piperidine teratogens, coniine, ammodendrine, and anabasine, also exhibit differences in biological activity, as shown in cell culture studies, suggesting variability in the activity due to the optical rotation at the chiral center of these stereoisomers. In this article, we review the molecular mechanism at the nicotinic pharmacophore and biological activities, as it is currently understood, of a group of piperidine and quinolizidine alkaloid teratogens that impart a series of flexure-type skeletal defects and cleft palate in animals.

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The Yin and Yang of Nicotine: Harmful during Development, Beneficial in Adult Patient Populations

Cited by 16 publications

References 80 publications

Brain effects of nicotine and derived compounds

Brain effects of nicotine and derived compounds

Brain effects of Nicotine and derived compounds

Plant alkaloids that cause developmental defects through the disruption of cholinergic neurotransmission

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