Tobacco addiction

The exact mechanism by which the allele exerts its effects on predisposition to tobacco addiction is not known. People with one or more of the variant alleles are believed to have reduced numbers of dopamine receptors in the corpus striatum... 

Given that there is strong evidence for a genetic component to tobacco addiction the identification of genes that may be responsible for this link leads to exciting new opportunities to help people to withdraw from nicotine and to prevent relapse. 

Dissection of the molecular mechanisms underlying tobacco addiction should lead to new and better treatments to achieve nicotine withdrawal. It seems clear that the dopamine D2 receptor is involved in nicotine dependence and drugs that block this receptor, such as tiapride, could be useful in the treatment of tobacco dependence. Tiapride has been shown to be successful in alcohol withdrawal [58] but would represent a new avenue for tobacco addiction therapy. 

A deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying tobacco addiction will lead to the identification of different types of smokers. Classifying smokers according to the underlying biological processes involved in their addiction will lead to new treatments for tobacco dependence. Patient-specific therapy with both choice of treatment and dose of drug informed by DNA analysis seems likely to be more effective than conventional therapy with fewer unwanted effects. 

Stolerman IP, Shoaib M. (1991). The neurobiology of tobacco addiction. Trends Pharmacol Sci. 

Smokeless tobacco products are a major form of tobacco addiction in several countries, notably India and South Africa. The tobacco may be chewed, sucked, or applied to the teeth or gums. The products may be manufactured commercially or at home. 

The methods discussed above have been widely used to assess the effect of either continuous or intermittent nicotine on nAChR functions and brain biochemistry (Matta et al. 2007). For models of nicotine withdrawal, see the chapter by Malin in this volume. Given the intrinsic advantages and limitations of each approach, the non-contingent nature of most administration regimes and the absence of associated cues, it is important that these paradigms are not assumed to model tobacco addiction per se. Sometimes, the experiments are conducted in concert with behavioural measures (e.g. precipitation of withdrawal with somatic signs), which give more credibility to the assertion that a state of nicotine dependence has been achieved (Kenny and Markou 2005). 

Balfour DJK (2004) The neurobiology of tobacco dependence a prechnical perspective on the role of the nucleus accumbens. Nic Tob Res 6 899-912 Balfour DJK (2006) Complementary roles for the accumbal shell and core in nicotine dependence. In Bock G, Goode J (eds) Understanding nicotine and tobacco addiction. Novartis Symp-soium 275. Wiley, Chichester, UK, pp 96-115... 

Overall, genetic vulnerability to or protection from nicotine/tobacco addiction shows significant sex differences, which may underlie the differences observed in addiction patterns between males and females, ranging from initiation of smoking to success in quitting. 

What is commonly referred to as tobacco addiction or tobacco dependence has been clinically delineated into two specific diagnosable disorders dependence and... 

The pharmacologic and behavioral processes that determine tobacco addiction... 

Henningfield JE, Benowitz NL, ConnoUy GN, Davis RM, Gray N, Myers ML, Zeller M (2004) Reducing tobacco addiction through tobacco product regulation, Tob Control 13 132-135... 

Koop CE (2003) Tobacco addiction accomphshments and challenges in science, health, and policy. Nicotine Tob Res 5 613-619... 

Garrett BE, Rose CA, Henningfield JE. Tobacco addiction and pharmacological interventions. Expert Opin Pharmacother 2001 2(10) 1545-1555. 

Collaborative Review Groups (www.cochrane. org/contact/entities.htm crglist) are made up of people who prepare, maintain and update Cochrane Reviews, and people who support them in this process. Each Group has an editorial base where a small team of people supports the production of Cochrane Reviews. These Groups focus on particular areas of health (for example, Breast Cancer, Infectious Diseases, Multiple Sclerosis, Schizophrenia, Tobacco Addiction). 

---