Treatments
 
 
Could Nicotine Become An Accepted Treatment For Schizophrenia? Recent research suggests that it may. Tobacco abuse represents a serious and widespread problem in people with schizophrenia, one that we have only begun to address in recent years. Most of us are familiar with the health related consequences of using tobacco products. People with schizophrenia suffer from the same risks associated with tobacco as other people do, but they are more likely to use tobacco products. Because of this and the fact that they are less likely to obtain regular medical care, their risks for serious consequences may be greater. Nicotine is the “addictive” component of tobacco. It may be the most addicting substance known, but there may be other reasons that people who suffer from schizophrenia are more likely to use tobacco. Nicotine may help them think clearly. According to information from researchers at the Yale School of Medicine, published in the June, 2006, issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, cigarette smoking may improve attention and short-term memory in people with schizophrenia. People included in this study who did not suffer from a mental illness did not enjoy these same benefits. Another article from the September, 2005, issue of Neuropsychopharmacology, indicated that nicotine nasal spray improved cognitive functioning in sufferers of schizophrenia. If further research supports these findings, the administration of nicotine in some form may play a role in treating the problems that people with schizophrenia face with attention and short-term memory. Even if nicotine is shown to reliably produce these favorable results, the issue of safety remains. Tobacco products, as they currently exist, do not provide a safe source of nicotine and nicotine alone is not without associated risks. Clearly it will be necessary to identify alternatives to tobacco products: chemicals similar to nicotine that may offer the same benefits, but are safer, or safer sources of nicotine. (Sources: The author’s knowledge base, unless otherwise noted.) _________________________________________________________________________________ Related Articles: What Is Cognitive Impairment? Common Medication Side Effects More Serious Side Effects Schizophrenia and Alcohol Abuse or Dependence _________________________________________________________________________________ cognitiveimpairment.htmlcommonsideeffects.htmlmoreserioussideeffects.htmlshapeimage_2_link_0shapeimage_2_link_1shapeimage_2_link_2shapeimage_2_link_3