Abstract
As the prevalence of tobacco use has decreased, it has become clear that individuals with mental illness comprise a substantial portion of the remaining smokers. Seventy to eighty percent of patients with schizophrenia smoke and their smoking is established before their first psychotic episodes or the initiation of treatment. Many patients with schizophrenia, and approximately 50% of their first degree relatives have abnormalities in auditory sensory gating and / or smooth pursuit eye movements. These abnormalities are corrected by nicotine, and they appear to be transmitted as autosomal dominant traits. Evidence is accumulating that these abnormalities reflect genetic variations in nicotine receptor number and function, that may increase susceptibility for schizophrenia. Recent studies suggest that bupropion, added to treatment with an atypical antipsychotic, can enhance the likelihood of smoking cessation or reduction in patients with schizophrenia. The prevalence of smoking is also substantially increased among patients with bipolar disorder, perhaps especially so among those with psychotic features. Nicotine delivered by gum or transdermal patch can provide short term relief for exacerbations of Tourettes Syndrome, but its use is limited by frequent toxicity, primarily nausea.
Keywords: Schizophrenia, Bipolar disorder, Tourettes syndrome, nicotinic receptors
Current Drug Targets - CNS & Neurological Disorders
Title: The Importance of Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors in Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder and Tourettes Syndrome
Volume: 1 Issue: 4
Author(s): Joseph P. McEvoy and Trina B. Allen
Affiliation:
Keywords: Schizophrenia, Bipolar disorder, Tourettes syndrome, nicotinic receptors
Abstract: As the prevalence of tobacco use has decreased, it has become clear that individuals with mental illness comprise a substantial portion of the remaining smokers. Seventy to eighty percent of patients with schizophrenia smoke and their smoking is established before their first psychotic episodes or the initiation of treatment. Many patients with schizophrenia, and approximately 50% of their first degree relatives have abnormalities in auditory sensory gating and / or smooth pursuit eye movements. These abnormalities are corrected by nicotine, and they appear to be transmitted as autosomal dominant traits. Evidence is accumulating that these abnormalities reflect genetic variations in nicotine receptor number and function, that may increase susceptibility for schizophrenia. Recent studies suggest that bupropion, added to treatment with an atypical antipsychotic, can enhance the likelihood of smoking cessation or reduction in patients with schizophrenia. The prevalence of smoking is also substantially increased among patients with bipolar disorder, perhaps especially so among those with psychotic features. Nicotine delivered by gum or transdermal patch can provide short term relief for exacerbations of Tourettes Syndrome, but its use is limited by frequent toxicity, primarily nausea.
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Cite this article as:
McEvoy P. Joseph and Allen B. Trina, The Importance of Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors in Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder and Tourettes Syndrome, Current Drug Targets - CNS & Neurological Disorders 2002; 1 (4) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1568007023339210
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1568007023339210 |
Print ISSN 1568-007X |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1568-007X |
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