Drug that Mimics Nicotine May Be Used to Treat Cognitive Disorders

Researchers have isolated a compound that by acting on the brain cell receptors stimulated by nicotine may be a potential drug candidate for treatment of cognitive disorders such as schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Nicotine, which mimics the affects of acetylcholine, acts primarily on the autonomic nervous system. In a dose of less than 50 mg, it can cause respiratory failure and general paralysis. Smaller toxic doses can cause heart palpitations, lowered blood pressure, nausea, and dizziness. A person who smokes inhales approximately 3 mg from one cigarette. This amount increases the heart rate, constricts the blood vessels, and acts on the central nervous system, imparting a feeling of alertness and well-being. Anecdotal evidence suggests that many people with the mental illness use tobacco as a sort of self-medication to help them think more clearly.

Investigators at the University of California, Irvine (USA) searched for compounds that would stimulate nicotine receptors without nicotine's side effects (especially if the nicotine is administered by tobacco smoke).

They reported in the April 30, 2007, online edition of the Proceedings of the [U.S.] National Academy of Sciences that they had found a selective acetyl cholinesterase-positive allosteric modulator that corrected sensory-gating deficits and improved working memory in a rat model.

"We would like to see this lead to a drug that would address specifically the cognitive deficits found in schizophrenia,” said senior author Dr. Kelvin W. Gee, professor of pharmacology, at the University of California, Irvine.


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