Listen to Your Interpenduncular Nucleus

[AgentAnia]

As reported in Digital Journal, researchers claim to have found the "nicotine center of the brain." It's not clear from the DJ report (I've not read the study itself) whether the research was done on nicotine combined with chemicals as smoked with a tobacco cigarette or on nicotine alone. Note that the research was done on mice. (So now we may know how to treat nicotine dependence in mice...)

Nicotine center of the brain found

(I simply couldn't resist posting a thread with this title. It stimulated the whimsy center of my brain...)

 

[Uma]

lobotomy anyone?
the zombie apocalypse materializes as thousands of newly homeless, newly unemployed, newly uninsured newly outcast from society, receive lobotomies in hopes of finding shelter, food, medical care, employment, that was denied them because of a legal and minor drug called nicotine addiction. To the addicted, this is their only hope of ever returning back into society. But does it work? Do they even care anymore about their lives, loved ones, homes, & jobs? Stay tuned for further updates.

 

[Spazmelda]

Won't anyone think of the... uh... pinkies?!? Mouselets?

 

[jtpjc]

Mouses all over the world say: leave our interpendicular nucleuses alone!

 

[Boiler]

Now I just need a drip tip that can reach it.

 

[CES]

The intrapeduncular nucleus gets inputs from the medial habenula (an area that other researchers have studied for its potential to mediate nicotine addiction) and it has outputs to the ventral tegmental area which in turn connect to the nucleus accumbens - both are brain regions known to be involved involved in pleasure and addictive behavior(and dopamine release)...so i suspect that it's important in mediating the addicting effects of nicotine. But, the news report is a little misleading in claiming that there's a single nicotine center and in implying that that region has only a single function.

Here's a link to the actual paper for those who care
https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(13)01188-3


(don't let me kill the thread....whimsy is much more fun, carry on )

 

[Katya]

Brain Damage Sheds Light on Urge to Smoke | Science/AAAS | News

Cigarette smokers who suffer damage to a particular brain region often lose the urge to smoke, according to a new study. Although brain damage is hardly a recommended treatment for smokers who want to quit, researchers say the findings provide important insight into the biological basis of addictive behaviors.

 

[aikanae1]

So non-smokers might be brain damaged?

 

[BuGlen]

So non-smokers might be brain damaged?

Not all non-smokers. Just the ANTZ!

 

[Uma]

Brain Damage Sheds Light on Urge to Smoke | Science/AAAS | News

So non-smokers might be brain damaged?

Haha, I think you two are on to something here

 

[AgentAnia]

OMG I hope our favorite ANTZ Stan doesn't read this! Next thing you know, he'll be recommending interpenduncular nuclectomy and/or a large blunt object to the head as quit smoking techniques! (Now if we could just find the area in the brain that causes people to become ANTZ.... That's an "ectomy" I'd love to see!)

Carry on...

 

[RosaJ]

Sorry, I'm not reading the article, don't want to lose my precious brain cells. However, based on the comments I figured that the FDA/BP/BT are going to start telling people to continue smoking cigarettes because eventually they will kill the cells in the portion of the brain that controls smoking and the person/mice will quit automatically?

Woooow! Excuse me while I go nurse a couple of brain cells that started shorting out as I was putting that thought in writing...

 

[house mouse]

HA! My interpenduncular nucleus functions just fine without nicotine, thank you very much. Maybe if they would focus on the exterpenduncular nucleus they would figure out why I still very much crave vaping without nicotine.

Not that I give a flying fig if they figure it out or not.

 

[aikanae1]

Pfizer and Glaxo-Klein is all over this with their next nrt development.

 

[CES]

so, the final recommendation is to activate the nicotinic receptors in the interpeduncular nucleus to alleviate withdrawal symptoms. How about using.... oh, i dunno, how about nicotine? maybe by ...hmmm...using e-cigs?

 

[Katya]

so, the final recommendation is to activate the nicotinic receptors in the interpeduncular nucleus to alleviate withdrawal symptoms. How about using.... oh, i dunno, how about nicotine? maybe by ...hmmm...using e-cigs?