A steady stream of nicotine normalizes genetically-induced impairments in brain activity associated with schizophrenia, according to new research involving CU Boulder researchers. The finding sheds light on what causes the disease and why those who have it tend to smoke heavily.
“Our study provides compelling biological evidence that a specific genetic variant contributes to risk for schizophrenia, defines the mechanism responsible for the effect and validates that nicotine improves that deficit,” said Jerry Stitzel, a researcher at the Institute for Behavioral Genetics (IBG) and one of four CU Boulder researchers on the study.
“Basically the nicotine is compensating for a genetically determined impairment,” says Stitzel. “No one has ever shown that before.”
I tried to start smoking once in the ward, because i read smoking would help certain symptoms and decrease the levels of antipsychotics in the blood (i didnt agree with the dose of ap they forced me to use).
I never really smoked before. I first tried smoking and then nicotine patches. Both failed. I couldnt inhale, felt dizzy and nauseas and had to vomit. I felt a little stupid when i was asked to explain my experiment.
It is interesting that smoking helps…im almost tempted to give it another try. But…nah.
are ure asking me or the best? I use snuff tobacco, I’m not convinced at all by the trade-off between the mild ap properties and the very real ill caused by smoking. ANd alcohol.
I’m not convinced that I need them, I’m not delusional, I don’t hear voices, I’m not disorganised, and my negative and cognitive symptoms are probably hysterically self-induced owing to my moral failings.
The doctors claim that I have sz, I’ve had experiences they regard as being psychotic, from psychic attacks by demons, to my newly-found special relationship to God (despite being an atheist), and the true nature of the universe. Some visual hallucinations. A few years ago I experienced complete ego death for no apparent reason. All of this can be explained away by OCD and spiritual-existential crisis.
plus apathy (I spend 22 hours a day in bed), memory problems, but all this could be anxiety and lingering depression, that;s why I claimed the other day that I was being gaslighted
