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Subscribe to RSSNicotine may help tune up the brains of seniors suffering from mild memory loss, a new study shows.
Researchers found that seniors suffering from mild cognitive impairment, or MCI, could boost their memories with a nicotine patch, according to the study published in Neurology.
The patches also led to improvements in attention and mental processing. But these effects weren’t as strong as the impact on memory, said study co-author Dr. Paul Newhouse, a professor of psychiatry and director of the Center for Cognitive Medicine at Vanderbilt Medical Center. “The take-home message for this is that nicotine may be helpful in those with early signs of memory loss,” Newhouse said.
MCI is considered to be a precursor to Alzheimer’s disease, bringing similar, though less severe, symptoms such as mild memory loss, slowed thinking and attention problems. Currently, there are no medications approved to treat those symptoms.
Experts suspect that in MCI, just as in Alzheimer’s disease, there is deterioration and death of nerve cells in the brain that make a critical chemical messenger called acetylcholine. As levels of the neurotransmitter drop, memory and other mental functions decline.
Nicotine has just the right shape to mimic acetylcholine and fit snugly into some of the same receptors that the neurotransmitter does.
Newhouse and his colleagues followed 67 seniors with MCI for six months. Half the study volunteers wore a nicotine patch, while the others wore a placebo patch. The seniors, who were aged 55 and older, were tested for declines in memory and other mental skills at the beginning of the study. They were retested at three months and again at six months into the study.
At the end of the study, volunteers who had worn a patch saw improvements in memory of 46 percent. Those who were treated with placebos declined by about 26 percent over the same period of time.
The nicotine may simply be improving symptoms and not helping with the actual disease, Newhouse said. But there has been some research suggesting that nicotine might actually offer some protection to the cells being damaged by Alzheimer’s.
Dr. Frank Leone was surprised to see that the low doses of nicotine in patches were enough to tune up people’s brains. “I think it’s pretty cool,” said Leone, an associate professor of medicine and director of the comprehensive smoking treatment program at the University of Pennsylvania.
It does make sense that nicotine might help, Leone said. "Nicotine is a mild stimulant and presumably any stimulant has the ability to activate a person’s brain and to potentially improve cognition."
The Vanderbilit research is limited and needs to be replicated in larger studies before doctors should start prescribing patches to alleviate MCI, Leone said. Fortunately, smoking cessation programs have shown that patches can be used safely for years.
While patches haven’t been shown to be addictive, epidemiologist Steven Stellman has some words of caution for healthy adults who might try to use the patch to tune up their brains, rather than just kicking cigarettes.
"Nicotine is the addicting ingredient in cigarettes,” said Stellman, professor at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University. “People become addicted because nicotine gives them pleasure. "
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Put 100 of these on Obama, and maybe he could rememeber what Reverend Wright said in those sermons.
To..bill """
Oh good you must know ..what was it Rev Wright said ...and when was it he said what ever you are alluding to ...
what were those sermons about ...and
you ever watch Pat Robinson on the 700 club and listen to what he says on a daily basis
The only thing I will ever need to remember Wright said is "God da— america". That was enough for me.
I don't know if it has anything to do with nicotine, but some people sure have a one track mind!
Check the Science section, there's an interesting article on dark matter. I'm sure you can come up with a way to link Obama to it!
scotty, here is the full context of that quote:
He is not damning the nation, as FUX NOOSE would have you believe. He is damning the U.S. government for what he felt were its racist policies.
If the priest at your church turns out to be a pedophile, does that make you one?
You people need to quit blaming people for the actions of others. No different than blaming Obama for Bushes mess.
Lol, you got nothing on Obama. All you do is refer to some other guy and some bogus claim he isn't a citizen. GTFO you troll!
so now nicotine is good? its bad, its good, its bad, its good. so lets makes tons laws saying these things are bad for you but not illegal. lets go ahead and sue the makers of the bad things for a absurd amount. lets spend that money and all other punitive taxes from bad things and spend it on pet projects and other junk not related to the reason why the punitive taxes were put in place. you see this is why government cant be trusted and why the people have failed also. i have no hope for humanity when humanity gives its power freely away to anyone who tells em a good story.
let see here, we have a "black" suppose "christian" man using the bible to spew his anti- US government propaganda (lies) and you dont see it as being anti-american? nothing he said in his sermon is entirely true and as a christian for him to say "god damn america" is blasphemous. wright is not a christian just as obama is not a christian, they are both fakes only using religion to suit their needs.
"Freedom4Everyone
If the priest at your church turns out to be a pedophile, does that make you one?
You people need to quit blaming people for the actions of others. No different than blaming Obama for Bushes mess."
lol if the pedo preacher was preaching about pedo to the masses and the masses listened then yes they are all pedo supporters. just as wright was preaching anti-american propaganda, obama listened for decades so he supports what wright said during those decades. its called guilt by association. just like obama has ties to ayers and other radical revolutionaries from the past. but hey that no big deal right? we like our elected leaders hanging around and supported by murderers and terrorists.
how bout blaming obama for his mess, or blaming the democrats for their mess? how bout we have non-stop anti-obama stuff like we had non-stop anti-bush stuff. maybe if we actually vetted obama we might know anything about him, what do you know about obamas bio? the american people sure didnt get any info on because his lawyers are hiding his records.
What in the living he!! does all this have to do with nicotine improving memory in the elderly? Can't anything be about something other than politics these days? Rhetorical question, I guess. Annoying and way boorrriiinng.
Medical Marijuana vs Medical Tobacco.
Bill, you should smoke a couple packs a day to get your IQ raised, because your post sounds like you are not the smartest bear inthe woods!!!! JERK
First off, Can you prove Obama was there for those sermons? And all ive seen is one video, where the reverend goes off. I have heard NOTHING that suggests this was his usual attitude, or the content of his sermons on a regular basis.. And to be fair, America has not always been fair to blacks. They deserve to have a little anger. I dont blame them one bit. The fact is, people found one video where the reverend goes off and is obviously angry about something. And now want to use it. There is nothing that suggests that Obama saw any of this, or would even agree with it.
But when has the right ever been fair with its criticism.
Better yet, help bush remember osama was the man we were after, he forgot and OH, "I'M NOT CONCERNED WHERE HE IS"
Actually, I believe it was the nicotine that addicted you but it was a host of other chemicals along with tar that increased your cancer risk and generally destroyed your ability to breath.
Well the patch helped me remember where I put my cigarettes ...
Using nicotine patches has risks and side effects not mentioned in this article.
I am a non-smoker and was prescribed nicotine patches off-label to prevent oral ulcerations from Behcet's Disease, a rare autoimmune vasculitis. Amazingly, the patches work quite well for that purpose, as is supported by early studies in the medical literature. The nicotine even controlled ulcerations elsewhere on my body.
However, I developed an allergic reaction to the adhesive in the patches (several brands), so my arms got red, swollen, weeping welts where I had put the patches, despite moving them every day as instructed. Even when moving the patches to other parts of my upper body, the egg-shaped raw welts continued to occur.
Secondly, I developed an unexpected side effect from nicotine, one that is OPPOSITE to what is described in this article. My memory and thinking became significantly impaired, not improved, and it became unsafe for me to continue with the patches due to the cognitive effects. My doctors agreed that it was the nicotine itself that was causing the thinking problems, and my brain cleared up once I discontinued the patches.
Nicotine patches are safer than smoking (I never smoked), but they still infuse unhealthy chemicals into your body and therefore are not to be prescribed or taken lightly. Thankfully, there are dozens of other treatments for Behcet's Disease that patients can try for the persistent ulcerations.
Nicotine patches will NOT be the miracle treatment for mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer's, and in fact could be dangerous to some elderly people. Yes, nicotine does usually improve alertness and thinking, but not in all people. Getting plenty of restful sleep, exercise, sunshine, and caffeine (and treating depression and pain, if necessary) is a safer way to improve memory than trying nicotine patches.
Never been a smoker, but I might start these patches to help the brain. At least I won't have ashtray mouth...
That's the problem with these articles. Now everyone will be patching it up using an addictive drug. Soon we will have designer patches like hearts and things lol
I am also a non-smoker. As such I can unequivocally testify to the fact that....
wait, what the hell were we talking about?
nicotine is not addictive, you brain is addicted (subconsciously) its called a habit and we all have em. nothing stops anyone from quitting smoking but their own selves. you body takes 3-4 days to adjust to any significant changes but your mind takes self-discipline to break the habit. tired of the lies we are told in order to control us. as a casual smoker by choice i have pearly whites and nothing around me smells like an ashtray or w/e. moderation is key.
"Swagganaut
nicotine is not addictive, you brain is addicted (subconsciously) its called a habit and we all have em."
Do you work for Philip Morris by any chance? I would guess that it would be a little easier to quit if it really was only mental...
When I think back on all of the people that I have personally known who have died of Alzheimers or currently have alzheimers; all but one were people who had smoked for several years and then quit. My aunt who currently has alzheimers is the only one that didn't smoke. I knew that there had to be some redeeming quality to smoking rather than being enjoyable.
Maybe when you take in nicotine and it mimics acetylcholine, your brain realizes that it no longer needs to produce as much. When you quit you could end up with a defficiency of acetylcholine. I think any stimulant can probably alter memory function be it cocaine, aderall, or coffee. I wonder if the test subjects were previous smokers?
this has been known for years, only difference here is they used the patch and called it newsworthy, well i guess it is, somewhat.
Yes! Nicotine is the most underrated drug ever! They should start sprinkling a little in our coffee at Starbucks.
Along with a pinch of marijuana.
I could use some of that.
now we are talking... Mary Jane helps with memory, eye sight and IQ levels.
I can't wait to grow my own :)
Not surprising since it it known that caffeine, cigarettes, and amphetamines improve cognitive function in the general population.
HEY MSNBC!
You could at least cite the research so that people who are interested can read further. A title would be better than nothing. Maybe a list of the authors. Anything. Come on!
They did.
Not sure about this. When I was using the patch, I would always forget to change it every day!
I changed mine every time I changed underwear. About once a week.
So you changed it regardless of whether you really needed to?
Better options would be exercising, fish oil, coffee, more sleep. And of course not smoking or drinking.
Whoa,whoa,whoa, slow down there Skooter.I'll exercise more,take fish oil,sleep longer and quit smoking. But when it comes to a 24oz T-Bone steak on my plate I will be having a good Merlot or Cabernet with it!
MMMM T-bone steak.
So all this time we have been told and told about the evil addictive nicotine and now there is actually a good side? I am amazed that this is even being reported in our liberal world. After all, look what it is taking to convince them that pot is not near as bad as has been claimed for the past 40 years. After that fiasco I have problems believing most of the crap reported.
I think it is wingnuts that claim pot is bad for you.
This is old news... the Canadian health ministry did a study back in the late 70s looking at the good/bad sides of tobacco and basically came to the conclusion that if it weren't for the fact you'd get lung cancer or emphysema, it would be a wonder drug. Memory improvements were noted, as well stimulating or relaxing you depending on 'how' you smoked.
But you never heard about it here as the smoking Nazis were too busy demonizing smokers and no positives allowed....
Pot is extremely bad for your lungs just as inhaling any kind of smoke is.
"basically came to the conclusion that if it weren't for the fact you'd get lung cancer or emphysema"
not true at all, there is no guarantee you will get any ailment from smoking tobacco. all it is, is an increased chance based on several other influences to incur any number of ailments but tobacco doesn't cause anything other than stimulation. this is all subjective to the individual.
anything you would inhale into you lung carries a risk but we have very little to nil understanding of our bodies, the effects of chemicals on our bodies or the chemicals themselves. we constantly change findings to suit w/e needs, remember eggs? are they bad for you yet lol?
Actually, the 'evil' is in the tar and other stuff you suck into your lungs when you smoke a cigarette. The nicotine is highly addictive, but shown to be no where near as harmful as the other stuff in cigarettes.
I know body builders and other supplement junkies that take nicotine (not in a cigarette) for the assistance to memory and mental focus.
Nicotine isn't bad stuff, but tobacco is. Nicotine improves cognitive ability but the oxygen deprivation associated with smoking negates the effect.
It would have been nice if they had said what dosage they gave these people and the length of time they were on the patches?
The patches come in 3 different doses of 7mg, 14mg 21 mg's,
Of course most people would forget what day they started and at what dose or if they took the dose that day so this could get interesting?
Now what was I doing before this distracted me? Hmm~
Great! Take a shot at gaining a little memory
and get addicted / re-addicted to nicotine ... very smart!
:/
FYI-Nicotine patches are at least as addictive as cigarettes and other forms of nicotine. [I had a harder time quitting the nicotine replacement products than I did cigarettes]
And, you probably had some fun vivid dreams while using the patch didn't you? One of my friends said he had to give up the patch because he would wake up exhausted. He said he played 18 rounds of golf while sleeping with the patch. He kept smoking and he died, but not from the smoking.
B.S.
This is interesting news. Hopefully it helps seniors. One of the biggest fears for most older people is losing their memories.
Go ahead sheep believe yet another lie the corrupt government tells you.
The article says that they used low doses of nicotine so it was probably the 7mg. Contrary to popular belief, nicotine is not a carcinogen. Tobacco products - especially those you smoke - are the problem.
It is not the Nicotine but a chemical in the tabacco plant that reduces inflammation. It is also found in Green tomatos.
Star Scienitific, Inc. has been working with this chemical and owns the patent on how it is removed from the plant. They sell it as a Dietary Supplement call Anatabloc.
If this story is something that interested you check out their website and read about the human trials going on now. With Flint, John Hopkins and Roskamp.
This not an advertisment and I am not trying to sell you anything. But I use the stuff for my Arthritis and it works for me.
Good luck
As a nicotine addict, the only way I have ever quit smoking is cold turkey. There would be no point in gum or a patch because I would just get addicted to them. I either smoke a pack a day, or not at all. The last two days, without nicotine (as I just quit again). have been very easy. If it is nerve wracking, I would just go buy another pack because I know it won't go away. Running out in the evening, just before bed, is the best method for me. If the next two days aren't too bad, I am usually quit until the next episode of extreme stress gets me started again. Don't beat yourself up if you fail to quit. Buy a pack, smoke it and try again. Sometimes, like the last two days, I barely even think about it. Other times, I can't think of anything else for even two seconds. Quitting is easy if you keep trying and wait for it to be less bothersome, without even attempting it when it is particularly hard. For me, the agony does not go away once it starts. Beating yourself up makes you less likely to try again. Run out, on purpose, on a Friday night and just spend the weekend NOT smoking. I cut 5 cigarettes into 1/4 inch pieces and put them in the trash (out of a carton I smoked).
Glad you are trying. There are immediate health benefits beginning the day you quit.
I've quit for 1 year, 7 years, and 6 years. I'm smoking again. Its a terrible addiction.
I have not given up on quitting, but I have failed again.
Best advice? Never start.
You may think you can beat it later, but the best you can hope for is a tie.
Hmmm I often wonder why a relatively benign drug like Cannabis is kept illegal while we have devastatingly addictive legal drugs like alcohol/tobacco/prescription opiates etc. Really makes you wonder...
Do whatever it takes to quit ! I was an addict from the age of 13 to age of 45, much of the time smoking 3 packs a day. Tried all the methods, hypnosis, cold turkey, groups, etc, all worked, for a while. Patch finally did it for me, had two highest dose patches, one on each arm and used to go around rubbing them to get more nicotine into my system. It took a full year to get over smoking, but after the first month it got a bit easier. Now I am an anti smoking nazi, can't stand the smell within 1/4 mile ! Buried my brother two years ago thanks to esophageal cancer which he and I were convinced was 100% due to his smoking for 30 years, even though he had quit for 15 before it hit him. Do whatever it takes to quit ! Don't give up no matter how difficult and how many times you might fail, keep on quitting !
addiction is a cop-out, a habit is what you have. you body does not crave nor need tobacco but it is use to its effect and will let you know when it lacks. 3-4 days is all you need for you body to adjust but its your mind that is the hardest to break. habits dwell in our sub-conscience and are very hard to break unless you think differently about smoking. i smoke but i chose when and where, maybe i smoke a pack a month now. i got myself to break the habit by thinking differently on why i smoke and when i would smoke. i brought the habit out of the sub-conscience and into my main thoughts as a means of control.
one big prob i see is the huge double standards dealing with tobacco compared to other perceived health related matters. follow the money, its always about money and power. no money in making tobacco illegal, no money in making tobacco "safer". no money in making drugs legal.
Quitting smoking is easy. I've done it at least a dozen times.
I'm an ex smoker who's had a few relapses and I used to swear by cold turkey too. Now I think the patches are helpful. Because they don't give you a rush of nicotine, followed by depletion, they do break the cycle of craving. There's a definite feeling you get when that rush of nicotine starts to fade, you instantly start craving more--with the patches you never get that rush, so you never get that anxious feeling, either. Last time I quit smoking I used the patch for two or three weeks, until I started forgetting to take it off. It was relatively painless. My mom on the other hand was hooked on the gum for three or four years. Still, in my opinion, better than smoking!
Softdude is totally right that the key is to keep trying. If it's not the right time, don't give up, just try again in a few days, or a few weeks. To the person that said quitting wasn't any worse than having a headache for a week, well, I've quit a couple times easily. Other times it was terrible. Terrible!! But every time it was worth it.
Since nicotine is also known to both immediately constrict blood vessels and also promote long term generation of new blood vessels is it a poison that raises blood pressure and heart disease risk or a therapy that improves long term circulation?
i am going to start on the patch so i can remember what i did on oct 15 at 3:34 1968. i hope it is something good!!!!
Were you born? That could usually be considered good!
I don't remember a lot of stuff from the 60's , guess that is because there was not much nicotine in the funny cigarettes I was smoking then !
Yeah this way you can remember exactly how you developed cancer.
Nicotine isn't a carcinogen. Other chemicals in tobacco smoke are.
I smoke Marlboro Lights. That'll work, right?
The way they made the article link it sounded like smoking was good for your brain.
LMAO!
The patch also kills people every year they fail to talk about that in this article.
I never could understand these BS tests they come out with.
One day its bad for you the next its good make up my bloody smoked filled mind will you?
Smoking is not good for you, but we all have a right to do what we want in our own privacy.
There are many other things that kill people that is far worse then smoke but we don't stop those things or put labels all over the bloody place.
They're not saying smoking is good for you, they're saying nicotine has beneficial neurological effects. We've kind of none this for a while. Parkinson's disease is less prevalent in smokers. Many schizophrenics appear to self-medicate by smoking.
Nicotine isn't a carcinogen. The other chemicals tobacco smoke are. So if you can get nicotine without those other chemicals, you could get some neurological benefit without the toxic chemicals.