Nicotine has long been known to affect the brain. Numerous studies have been done to confirm this. Now a new study shows that brain cells are also affected by nicotine.
The study is looking at how nicotine receptors in brain cells is changed by the introduction of nicotine. Researchers from the University of Kentucky have looked at how the grouping of nicotine receptors are changed by nicotine. Faruk Moonschi is a graduate student from the Department of Chemistry studying the effect of nicotine on brain cells.
Moonschi and the other members of the research team are trying to find out what makes nicotine to be addictive. For the study, the team has focused on how nicotine exposure could increase the number of nicotine receptors in brain cells. Moonschi has said that the team has made custom microscopes designed to expose samples to laser.
Nicotine affects brain cells by actually going inside brain cells. In this way nicotine alters nicotine receptors by changing its ratio within brain cells. The study has found this by first looking at a single molecule. This has allowed the team to see the difference between new nicotine receptors from the ones already made and transported to the cell surface.
The study has found that the process of changing nicotine receptor ratio is being done by nicotine, according to Science Daily. The study is important in showing how nicotine addiction works. The study could be used to find new methods that could help people who have been exposed to nicotine.
The study would next use lab mice in order to see how nicotine actually changes nicotine receptor ratio in brain cells, as AlphaGalileo reports. The mice that would be used would be genetically modified mice. This will allow researchers to see if similar results could be seen using living models.
Nicotine has been shown that it affects the brain. Now a new study shows that brain cells are affected by nicotine. A study is linking brain tumors to epileptic seizures.
