Smoking and schizophrenia: Where is the biological connection?

Uneri O., Tural U., Memik N.

TURK PSIKIYATRI DERGISI, vol.17, no.1, pp.55-64, 2006 (SSCI) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Review
  • Volume: 17 Issue: 1
  • Publication Date: 2006
  • Journal Name: TURK PSIKIYATRI DERGISI
  • Journal Indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, TR DİZİN (ULAKBİM)
  • Page Numbers: pp.55-64
  • Keywords: smoking, nicotine, schizophrenia, dopamine, nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, BRAIN NICOTINIC RECEPTORS, MONOAMINE-OXIDASE B, ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE, CIGARETTE-SMOKING, PARKINSONS-DISEASE, COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE, PSYCHIATRIC-DISORDERS, CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH, NUCLEUS-ACCUMBENS, MAJOR DEPRESSION
  • Kocaeli University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Objective: Patients with psychiatric disorders have a higher incidence of smoking than the general population. In particular, the rate of smoking among patients with schizophrenia has been found to be between two and three times in the general population in western countries. This paper reviews the biological factors that might be contributing to the high rate of smoking among patients with schizophrenia and examines the interaction between nicotine and neurobiological disturbances observed in schizophrenia.