Research

Gene linked to early nicotine addiction
Two recent studies have clarified the biological mechanisms that determine the physical reactions and addiction of a first-time cigarette smoker. According to the first study, if a person has a pleasurable experience when trying cigarettes for the first time, they are eight times more likely to continue to smoke than one whose first cigarette was unpleasant or made them sick. The CHRNA5 nicotine receptor variant gene was more common among the smokers in the study, indicating that it plays a role in susceptibility to addiction, or in making that first cigarette pleasurable. Another group of researchers has pinpointed hotspots in the brains of rats that, when manipulated, would determine whether the rats found their first exposure to nicotine agreeable or repellent. The findings of these studies could contribute to future cessation therapies that target nicotine addiction pathways. Click here for more information about the studies. Click here to read the abstract of the nicotine receptor study in Addiction. To access the abstract of the nicotine reward pathway study on rats, click here to navigate to the Journal of Neuroscience.

Stroke risk in women smokers goes up by each cigarette
The results of a University of Maryland study demonstrate that for young women, every cigarette counts. Compared to nonsmokers, stroke risk was 2.2 times higher for women who smoke one to 10 cigarettes a day, 4.3 times higher for women smoking 21 to 39 cigarettes daily, and 9.1 times higher for smokers with a two packs a day habit. The study is notable for its size (over 1000 participants) and for the study subjects’ ethnic diversity. A similar study of stroke risk will be conducted on young men. Click here for more information on the study. The study is published in the August 15 issue of the journal Stroke.

Few aware that smoking can cause bladder cancer
While most people are aware that smoking is a risk factor for lung cancer, few are aware of the link between smoking and bladder cancer, according to a review article published in The Journal of Urology. In fact, only 22% of patients with bladder cancer are aware that smoking is a contributing factor to the disease. Studies show that few smokers are advised by their physicians to quit smoking, and only 7% of bladder cancer patients are told to quit by their urologist. Because half of all bladder cancer cases are related to smoking, the researchers note that this study highlights a major gap in patient education. If more physicians counseled smokers to quit, bladder cancer incidence and recurrence rates could drop. Find out more here, or click here to view the abstract of the article.

Secondhand smoke raises stroke risk for spouses
While it is common knowledge that smoking is a health hazard, new findings strengthen the evidence that regular exposure to secondhand smoke also increases one’s cancer risk. Researchers found that nonsmokers married to smokers were at an increased stroke risk compared to nonsmokers with spouses who had never smoked. Former smokers married to a current smoker faced an even higher risk of stroke. These findings are similar to those from a similar National Institute on Aging study. How soon spouses experience health benefits after a smoker quits remains unknown, but researchers speculate that their health risks should drop relatively quickly. Click here to read more. The study will be published in the September issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

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