Nicotine therapeutic benefits: Difference between revisions

===2014: [https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/827544_1 Adult Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Nicotine Use: A Qualitative Study of Patient Perceptions]===

*Participants had different views about the link between cigarette smoking and ADHD. While the majority thought of nicotine as a sort of therapy, viewing smoking as a way to self-medicate symptoms of ADHD, motivations for nicotine use were also related to self-image, desire to belong to a peer-group, and a drive to undermine perceived social norms. Ultimately, these findings can be used by clinicians to improve treatment alliance and collaboration.

*Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common psychiatric disorders, affecting approximately 8–9% of school-aged children and 4–5% of adults (Froehlich et al., 2007; Kessler et al., 2006; Visser et al., 2007). Although formally the disorder is characterized by developmentally inappropriate levels of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity (APA, 2000), myriad phenotypic features—many of which are related to cognition broadly defined—have been shown to distinguish those with ADHD from those without the disorder.

*Together, these findings have led to the hypothesis that individuals with ADHD may smoke in order to alleviate requisite symptoms of the disorder and further suggest nicotine and/or nicotinic agonists can be used to improve aspects of cognitive function in these patients (McClernon and Kollins, 2008). Some support for this hypothesis has been provided by studies which have shown positive effects of nicotine on ADHD symptoms (Gehricke et al., 2009; Shytle et al., 2002) and cognitive performance (Levin et al., 1996; Potter and Newhouse, 2004) in non-smokers with ADHD. Whereas there are currently no FDA-approved nicotinic agonists to treat ADHD, laboratory and small-scale clinical trials have been conducted in recent years, and novel nicotinic pharmacotherapies are on the horizon.

===2009 [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20025370/ Effects of transdermal nicotine on symptoms, moods, and cardiovascular activity in the everyday lives of smokers and nonsmokers with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder]===

*Nicotine reduced reports of ADHD symptoms by 8% and negative moods by 9%, independent of smoking status. In addition, nicotine increased cardiovascular activity during the first 3 to 6 hours after nicotine patch administration. The results support the self-medication hypothesis for nicotine in adults with ADHD and suggest that smoking cessation and prevention efforts for individuals with ADHD will need to address both the symptom reducing and mood enhancing effects of nicotine.

===2009 [https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/15622970209150616 A Pilot Controlled Trial of Transdermal Nicotine in the Treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder]===

*All 10 subjects enrolled (six males, four females; mean age = 10 years, SEM = 0.8) completed the study. As assessed by the 48-item Conners Parent Rating Scale at endpoint and during the trial, there was a significantly greater reduction in ADHD symptoms on “Learning Problems” and “Hyperactivity” subfactors. Nausea, stomach ache, itching under patch and dizziness were the most frequently reported adverse effects associated with transdermal nicotine.

===2007 [https://www.academia.edu/2412620/Smoking_to_self_medicate_attentional_and_emotional_dysfunctions Smoking to self-medicate attentional and emotional dysfunctions]===

*The data from diverse studies are generally consistent with the self-medication hypothesis and suggest that individuals with ADHD may smoke to alleviate symptoms associated with attention deficit, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. More studies on larger samples are necessary to assess the differential risks for adolescent smoking initiation that are associated with ADHD subtypes and with ODD and CD comorbidities.

===2006 [https://www.academia.edu/17983526/The_reinforcing_effects_of_nicotine_and_stimulant_medication_in_the_everyday_lives_of_adult_smokers_with_ADHD_A_preliminary_examination The reinforcing effects of nicotine and stimulant medication in the everyday lives of adult smokers with ADHD: A preliminary examination]===

*The findings suggest that smokers with ADHD experience nicotine-related reductions in ADHD symptoms during their everyday lives.