PSYC 311 Chapter Notes - Chapter 18.7: Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor, Axon Terminal, Nicotine
9 Jun 2016
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Cessation of smoking after long-term use causes withdrawal symptoms, including anxiety, restlessness, insomnia, and inability to concentrate. Like the withdrawal symptoms of other drugs, these symptoms may increase the likelihood of relapse, but they do not explain why people become addicted to the drug in the first place. It has been found that several patients with insular damage were able to quit smoking. In addition, infusing the insula with an inhibitory drug in rats reduced the reinforcing effects of nicotine. The insula is found to be larger in smokers, which is consistent with its apparent role in nicotine addiction. One study found decreased grey matter in the frontal cortex of smokers, which may be at least partly responsible for the difficulty that smokers have in breaking their habit. One deterrent to cessation of smoking is the fact that overeating and weight gain frequently occur when people stop smoking.
