A review of neurobiological vulnerability factors and treatment implications for comorbid tobacco dependence in schizophrenia

• Published in: Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences Vol. 1248; no. 1; pp. 89 - 106
• Main Authors: Wing, Victoria C., Wass, Caroline E., Soh, Debra W., George, Tony P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malden, USA Blackwell Publishing Inc 01.02.2012; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: addiction vulnerability; Animals; cigarette smoking; cognition; Comorbidity; Corpus Striatum - drug effects; Corpus Striatum - metabolism; Corpus Striatum - physiopathology; Dependence; Hippocampus - drug effects; Hippocampus - metabolism; Hippocampus - physiopathology; Humans; Neurobiology; Neurons - drug effects; Neurons - metabolism; Nicotine; Nicotine - toxicity; Prefrontal Cortex - drug effects; Prefrontal Cortex - metabolism; Prefrontal Cortex - physiopathology; Receptors, Nicotinic - chemistry; Receptors, Nicotinic - metabolism; Risk Factors; Schizophrenia; Schizophrenia - epidemiology; Schizophrenia - metabolism; Schizophrenia - physiopathology; Schizophrenia - therapy; Schizophrenic Psychology; self-medication; Smoking cessation; Tobacco Use Disorder - epidemiology; Tobacco Use Disorder - metabolism; Tobacco Use Disorder - psychology; Tobacco Use Disorder - therapy
• ISSN: 0077-8923; 1749-6632
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2011.06261.x

There is converging evidence that certain subpopulations of smokers, such as smokers with a serious mental illness like schizophrenia (SCZ), are more likely to become addicted to tobacco and are less likely to quit smoking. This review focuses on the unique risk factors that may increase vulnerability to the initiation and maintenance of nicotine addiction in persons with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders and also reviews the latest approaches to treating nicotine addiction and schizophrenia based on our neurobiological understanding of central nicotinic receptor systems and related neurotransmitters. In addition, suggestions for future lines of research to better understand reasons for the comorbidity of nicotine addiction in schizophrenia are discussed.