In France, every year, nearly 80,000 people die prematurely from smoking. A high mortality which sometimes concerns people who smoke just occasionally. Despite multiple prevention and information campaigns on smoking cessation, thetobacco addiction remains problematic. Recently, an American study revealed surprising results. They would make it possible to better understand the biological mechanisms at the origin of this dependence. These data were published in the scientific journal Nature Medicine.
Tobacco addiction and stroke
L’tobacco addiction is at the heart of the problem of smoking and smoking cessation. A better understanding of the biological mechanisms at the origin of this addiction is one of the keys to optimizing strategies for the fight against smoking. In this context, American researchers have recently proposed a surprising link, to say the least, between smoking andstroke (AVC).
The common point between tobacco addiction and cardiovascular disease is brain damage. To reach this conclusion, the researchers started from an observation: in rare cases, the occurrence of brain damage can eliminate tobacco addiction and therefore contribute to quitting smoking. The mechanism explaining this phenomenon would make it possible to develop new therapeutic strategies against smoking.
Map brain damage and neural circuitry
To go further, the researchers analyzed the data of two cohorts of patients, smokers at the time they suffered brain damage caused by a stroke:
- A cohort of 67 patients;
- A cohort of 62 patients.
At the same time, the researchers followed another independent cohort, made up of 186 participants who had also suffered a stroke but were dependent on alcohol and not tobacco.
The location of brain lesions and the impact on the functionality of brain neural networks and 37 neuropsychological variables were analyzed. The results obtained showed that the cerebral lesions, capable of stopping tobacco addiction, were localized in different regions of the brain, but were all characterized by a specific neural connection circuit. This pattern linking several brain regions together was reproducible between cohorts.
What if neuromodulation could overcome tobacco addiction?
The observed brain damage and neural connection circuitry had a specific effect on addictive mechanisms. Indeed, they reduced the risk of addiction to tobacco, but also to alcohol. The researchers were able to identify the brain lesions that had the strongest impact on addictive mechanisms.
By comparing these data with those obtained on patients whose brain damage had no impact on their smoking, the researchers identified some fundamental brain areas in addictions and the neural circuits that link them together. According to them, this discovery would make it possible to develop a new therapeutic strategy against smoking. This specific neural circuit would be a potential target. Thus, neuromodulation of this circuit could significantly reduce thetobacco addiction. A therapeutic promise that remains to be verified and developed!
Estelle B., Doctor of Pharmacy
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