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Nicotine Normalizes Brain Activity Deficits That Are Key to Schizophrenia

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Re: Nicotine Normalizes Brain Activity Deficits That Are Key to Schizophrenia

#101

Post by atomical »

anigbrowl wrote: post #48

“This defines a completely novel strategy for medication development,” says lead author As someone with schizoaffective problems and raging ADHD, I find quotes like this acutely annoying. I've told every psychiatrist I'eve ever dealt with about the experiential costs/benefits of smoking (and consuming various other recreational drugs). They all nod sagely and say things like 'but smoking is bad' (no shit Sherlock!) w…

It's a business. They aren't going to risk their career to help you.

I had a conversation with a psychiatrist who had done Skype sessions with patients while he was in Australia. That was okay with his malpractice insurance. He turned me down on the grounds that his insurance wouldn't cover the patient being remote. He was willing to take a risk on a former patient that was interested in remote sessions. For what its worth I would be willing to sign away my rights for progressive care.

Re: Nicotine Normalizes Brain Activity Deficits That Are Key to Schizophrenia

#102

Post by tcj_phx »

lawpoop wrote: post #68

I'm convinced that if it were suddenly discovered today, nicotine would be hailed as a miracle drug. It has several properties. It's both a stimulant and a relaxant. It helps you focus without burning out your neurons and inducing psychosis like amphetamines. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicotine#Psychoactive_effects https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicotine#Enhancing_performance While there is some risk to it, the act…

> Also, there are several MAOIs in tobacco smoke. MAOIs are used as last-line anti-depressants, because of their side-effects when taken in large doses. But with tobacco products, a user basically gets a tritrateable MAOI.

Reversible MAOIs are safer than the irreversible ones: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monoamine_oxidase_inhibitor#Re...

There were some articles in the Boston Globe in 2000 that pointed out that the SSRI Prozac was known to contribute to suicides. I think it was a mistake to allow this drug onto the market.

> If we suddenly discovered nicotine today, I'm convinced that either it or a close chemical cousin would be a the next miracle drug for anxiety and depression.

Niacinamide (Nicotinamide) is somewhat similar to Nicotine.

  Considering these striking homologies, the craving for 
  nicotine might be due, in part, to a misplaced "hunger" 
  for the nutrient, vitamin B3, [...]
-http://www.highfiber.com/~galenvtp/vtlnctnc.htm

Re: Nicotine Normalizes Brain Activity Deficits That Are Key to Schizophrenia

#103

Post by SparkyMcUnicorn »

samx18 wrote: post #79
anigbrowl wrote: post #48

“This defines a completely novel strategy for medication development,” says lead author As someone with schizoaffective problems and raging ADHD, I find quotes like this acutely annoying. I've told every psychiatrist I'eve ever dealt with about the experiential costs/benefits of smoking (and consuming various other recreational drugs). They all nod sagely and say things like 'but smoking is bad' (no shit Sherlock!) w…

IMO Vaping is a far safer alternative to smoking for getting nicotine.

Just to chime in. If you have concerns because you've heard that "vaping is bad", do some research into it. While there are billboards and other advertisements against vaping in the USA, Public Health England says that vaping is at least 95% healthier [1].

http://notblowingsmoke.org/

[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/news/e-cigarettes-around-95-le...

Re: Nicotine Normalizes Brain Activity Deficits That Are Key to Schizophrenia

#104

Post by jayajay »

anigbrowl wrote: post #48

“This defines a completely novel strategy for medication development,” says lead author As someone with schizoaffective problems and raging ADHD, I find quotes like this acutely annoying. I've told every psychiatrist I'eve ever dealt with about the experiential costs/benefits of smoking (and consuming various other recreational drugs). They all nod sagely and say things like 'but smoking is bad' (no shit Sherlock!) w…

These days, I would think they would recommend vaping over smoking. Vaping is apparently much safer, and only contains nicotine (plus glycerin/glycols). In my experience, cigarettes are much more relaxing and calming than vapes. I would think that the other compounds in cigarettes add to the overall soothing effect. Something about pure nicotine doses like through vapes just doesn't feel as good as a cigarette. One of my friends with cancer said the same thing about THC pills compared to smoking marijuana...

Re: Nicotine Normalizes Brain Activity Deficits That Are Key to Schizophrenia

#105

Post by shard972 »

adbge wrote: post #43

This is at the intersection of several of my interests. The idea that nicotine improves cognition in schizophrenia is not new and, indeed, several drugs inspired by this idea (nicotinic agonists) are currently in the pipeline for the treatment of ADHD, schizophrenia, and depression. [1] In this paper, the researchers are focused on a polymorphism in the CHRNA5 gene. Pulling up my 23andme data, this mutation (rs169699…

> If you are interested in this sort of research, I recommend getting part of your genome sequenced with 23andme

I just want to point out the last time I read 23andme ToS, they claim ownership over the data and the right to onsell it. Just a warning for anyone concerned about privacy.

Re: Nicotine Normalizes Brain Activity Deficits That Are Key to Schizophrenia

#106

Post by mpatobin »

rrmm wrote: post #45
derefr wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But how about poking your visual cortex out?

People who are blind (congenital or otherwise) still use their visual cortex.

The NPR Invisibilia podcast episode called "How to be Batman" tells a fascinating story about this.

Re: Nicotine Normalizes Brain Activity Deficits That Are Key to Schizophrenia

#107

Post by notarealdoctor »

beambot wrote: post #92
anigbrowl wrote: post #48

“This defines a completely novel strategy for medication development,” says lead author As someone with schizoaffective problems and raging ADHD, I find quotes like this acutely annoying. I've told every psychiatrist I'eve ever dealt with about the experiential costs/benefits of smoking (and consuming various other recreational drugs). They all nod sagely and say things like 'but smoking is bad' (no shit Sherlock!) w…

Your psychiatrist runs a practice and you're mad that they are practicing rather than researching ? That seems like an unrealistic expectation. If your doc was doing more research, then they probably wouldn't be practicing as much. It's like asking you to be a professional developer and do cutting edge CS research -- that's pretty rare. Tracking nicotine vs your mood strikes me as being "research" -- especially since…

> Your psychiatrist runs a practice and you're mad that they are practicing rather than researching?

I just write code and I have to research stuff, why oh why would mental health professionals not be required to do so?

Re: Nicotine Normalizes Brain Activity Deficits That Are Key to Schizophrenia

#108

Post by PerryCox »

beambot wrote: post #92
anigbrowl wrote: post #48

“This defines a completely novel strategy for medication development,” says lead author As someone with schizoaffective problems and raging ADHD, I find quotes like this acutely annoying. I've told every psychiatrist I'eve ever dealt with about the experiential costs/benefits of smoking (and consuming various other recreational drugs). They all nod sagely and say things like 'but smoking is bad' (no shit Sherlock!) w…

Your psychiatrist runs a practice and you're mad that they are practicing rather than researching ? That seems like an unrealistic expectation. If your doc was doing more research, then they probably wouldn't be practicing as much. It's like asking you to be a professional developer and do cutting edge CS research -- that's pretty rare. Tracking nicotine vs your mood strikes me as being "research" -- especially since…

I don't believe he is mad that his psychiatrist is not doing academic research, but instead mad that he is not listening to his claims about smoking having a benefit to his mental illness.

Re: Nicotine Normalizes Brain Activity Deficits That Are Key to Schizophrenia

#109

Post by yarou »

mona_simpson wrote: post #44
qrybam wrote: post #38

Tangential self experimentation anecdote: I was intrigued by reports that nicotine can improve cognition in otherwise healthy people so I read through as many studies/articles I could find online. After deciding that I'd done enough research I took the plunge and began self experimenting with 2mg gum. I took it daily throughout the day at regular-ish intervals for around 2-3 months. The affects I experienced were as…

Take-away from that is to look up the literature /before/ carrying out the self-experimentation. It could have saved the nasty experience with the retina cyst which sounds very nasty. I guess we normally only get to hear of the self-experiments with great results and advances for science and medicine. The not-so-good results can tend to get buried both figuratively and literally. Hope you're fully recovered.

I'm sure someone who's never exercised before could die of cardiac arrest as soon as they step on a treadmill.

I think it's slightly disingenuous to suggest that one should never take risks because there are possible downsides.

Nicotine exists in tomatoes, potatoes, etc. Should I remove these from my diet because they contain nicotine, which might possibly cause a cyst in my retina? Surely, we would both agree that argument is nonsensical.

Re: Nicotine Normalizes Brain Activity Deficits That Are Key to Schizophrenia

#110

Post by cmdrfred »

lucasmullens wrote: post #96
bencollier49 wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And this is why vaping should be banned in enclosed public spaces, especially offices.

Because someone who chewed nicotine gum got a cyst we should ban vaping in offices? I'm not sure I follow.

People shouldn't vape in offices for the same reason they shouldn't pass gas. It smells and it's rude.
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