Understanding the Role of Nicotine: Cognitive Potentials to Efforts to Reduce Smoking Prevalence

Illustration. (Photo: Dok. Antara)

JAKARTA - Nicotine is a compound that has been extensively studied in the fields of health and neuroscience. A number of studies show the great potential of nicotine in protecting brain cells, improving thinking ability or cognitive functions such as focus, and reducing the risk of inflammation of diseases caused by decreased nerve function (neurodegenerative).

This potential encourages the expansion of studies that not only examine its clinical benefits, but also look at the opportunities for the use of nicotine-based products as part of a tobacco harm reduction approach to help adult smokers switch from smoking habits.

Assistant Clinical Professor University of Colorado School of Medicine, Mitchell B. Liester, said nicotine is a compound that has great therapeutic potential, although it has been better known for its addictive properties.

"Nicotine, the compound that makes tobacco addictive, also has great therapeutic potential as a treatment for neurological and cognitive disorders," said Mitchell as reported in his publication in the field of neuroscience, quoted Thursday, July 2.

How Nicotine Works

According to Mitchell, modern research shows that nicotine works by binding to receptors in the brain known as nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. These receptors play an important role in the processes of learning, memory, attention, and nerve protection.

When the receptor is activated, nicotine triggers a series of biological responses that help neurons stay alive and function properly. This process encourages the formation of protective proteins that serve as a shield for brain cells when faced with stress or damage.

"One of the most interesting findings is the potential of nicotine in Parkinson's disease research. Various studies show that nicotine can protect dopaminergic neurons, i.e. brain cells that are damaged in Parkinson's patients," said Mitchell.

In addition, nicotine also has anti-inflammatory effects on the brain. This compound is able to activate the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway which helps suppress the production of inflammatory triggering molecules while maintaining anti-inflammatory signals.

"The dual ability as a nerve protector and anti-inflammatory makes nicotine considered to have the potential for various neurodegenerative diseases characterized by chronic nerve cell death and inflammation," he added.

Improve Focus and Memory

The study conducted by the Vanderbilt University Medical Center found that nicotine can improve attention, memory, and cognitive processing, both in healthy individuals and those with mild cognitive impairment. The improvement in cognitive function was even more pronounced in individuals with higher risk factors for Alzheimer's disease.

"Various clinical studies also show that nicotine has the potential to support the treatment of a number of other conditions, such as depression, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Tourette's syndrome, to schizophrenia," said Mitchell.

In its development, the researchers explored various nicotine delivery methods that do not involve the process of burning tobacco, such as the use of nicotine plasters that are able to provide a stable nicotine level without exposure to harmful substances contained in cigarette smoke.

Alternative Tobacco Products and Efforts to Reduce Smoking Prevalence

Nicotine is not classified as a carcinogen or a cause of cancer according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, and the UK National Health Service also confirms that nicotine does not contain toxic substances such as tar that arise from the process of burning tobacco. Most of the dangers of smoking come from the smoke produced by combustion, not from nicotine. Although addictive, nicotine itself does not cause cancer or lung disease, and has also been used in approaches to help smokers switch from smoking habits.

Former WHO Director, Tikki Pangestu, emphasized that smokeless nicotine products have a lower risk than cigarettes.

"Although not completely risk-free, the relative risk of these smoke-free products is substantially lower than the risk of smoking," Tikki wrote in his article in Nature Health with Robert Beaglehole and Ruth Bonita, as quoted on Thursday, July 2.

In addition, he cited a number of countries such as Sweden, Japan, the United States, and New Zealand that have implemented tobacco harm reduction to reduce the prevalence of smoking. In these countries, the use of alternative tobacco products is associated with a decrease in the number of smokers and the burden of disease due to tobacco habits.

"Clear and evidence-based communication, including from the WHO, that most of the harm from tobacco comes from smoke, not nicotine, will help smokers make better decisions," Tikki said in the same writing.