Symptoms of schizophrenia can be triggered by heavy smoking

Heavy smoking has long been associated with the risk of psychotic disorders that lead to schizophrenia. But whether smoking actually triggers or actually treats the symptoms of schizophrenia is still a hot debate among experts. Why is that?

Those who say smoking treats the symptoms of schizophrenia

One 2014 study by researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine found that people with a severe mental illness such as schizophrenia were five times more likely to be heavy smokers. This trend was further studied by a joint team of scientists from around the world, who explained that it was possible The nicotine in cigarettes works to repair areas of the brain damaged by schizophrenia symptoms.

The root of their experimentation is what is known as hypofrontality. Hypofrontality is a decrease in activity in the prefrontal cortex of the brain that leads to cognitive problems such as memory problems and difficulty making decisions. By looking at lab mice, scientists from the Pasteur Institute in Paris and from the University of Colorado demonstrated that the genetic mutation CHRNA5 (previously associated with an increased risk of schizophrenia symptoms) was also associated with decreased function of the frontal lobe.

Disorders of the frontal lobe have been linked to problems with reasoning and problem solving, as well as self-control and emotions. Disorders of these two parts of the brain are suspected to trigger symptoms of psychosis that refer to schizophrenia, such as hallucinations, delusions, and delusions.

Researchers say nicotine reverses this problem, at least in mice, because nicotine affects receptors in certain brain areas to carry out healthy cognitive function. When lab rats showing symptoms of schizophrenia were given daily doses of nicotine, their previously sluggish brain activity showed an improvement within two days. And within one week, say the researchers, brain activity returned to normal.

Basically, researchers suspect that nicotine works against the side effects of schizophrenia drugs or the decline in brain cognitive function due to genetic defects from schizophrenia itself.

Those who argue that smoking actually triggers schizophrenia symptoms

On the other hand, a review study published in the journal Lancet Psychiatry reports that people who smoke have up to three times the risk of developing schizophrenia symptoms than nonsmokers.

The research team recapitulated the findings of 61 previous studies involving 15 thousand smokers and 273 thousand non-smokers. They found that nearly 57% of the patients who experienced the first episode of schizophrenia symptoms were smokers. The researchers also found that heavy smokers displayed symptoms of schizophrenia an average of one year earlier than non-smokers.

These findings then cast doubt on the theory that a link between smoking and psychosis exists because schizophrenic patients use cigarettes as a way of self-medicating. Long story short, according to the research team, these people first developed a regular smoking habit, then showed symptoms of schizophrenia as a result of smoking on their mental health.

Researchers suspect that dopamine plays a key role in the development of schizophrenia symptoms. Excess dopamine is the best biological factor that medicine has to date to explain psychotic illnesses like schizophrenia. It is possible that nicotine increases the release of dopamine, which is why schizophrenia symptoms can develop.

So, which is it?

Arguably, the way to determine the definite cause-and-effect direction of the association between heavy smoking and schizophrenia symptoms remains to be explored. Either way, the results suggest that smoking should still be considered a serious risk factor that may play a role in the development of psychotic symptoms and schizophrenia, and should not be dismissed as a consequence of the disease. Thus said many health experts.

Instead, researchers urge mental health professionals and health professionals who come face-to-face with schizophrenia patients to start encouraging them to quit smoking as a preferred precautionary measure.