Cigarette Smoking May Lead to Brain Damage

There may be a direct link between smoking cigarettes and brain damage, according to a new study from the Indian National Brain Research Center. Science Daily reports that researchers Debapriya Ghosh and Dr. Anirban Basu have found that a compound in tobacco provokes white blood cells in the central nervous system to attack healthy cells, leading to severe neurological damage.

The compound, called NNK, is a chemical substance that becomes carcinogenic when it is altered by the metabolic processes of the body. NNK does not appear to harm brain cells directly, but it may cause neuroinflammation, a condition that leads to disorders such as Multiple Sclerosis.

“Considering the extreme economical and disease burden of neuroinflammation-related disorders, it is extremely important from a medical, social, and economic point of view to discover if NNK in tobacco causes neuroinflammation” said Ghosh.

The team conducted two types of tests—one outside of a living host in glass and one in laboratory mice. They used blot analysis techniques that showed that the introduction of NNK resulted in a clear increase in proinflammatory signaling proteins, proinflammatory effector proteins, and other stress-related proteins. They also found increased levels of proinflammatory cytokines, which act as molecular messengers between cells.

This shows that NNK provokes an exaggerated response from the brain’s immune cells, known as microglia. These cells act as destroyers for the brain by attacking damaged or unhealthy cells. But when provoked by NNK, these cells start to attack healthy brain cells rather than the unhealthy ones they are supposed to attack.

NNK is present in all forms of tobacco, so it can also enter the body through chewing. In addition, second-hand smoking may lead to the same neuroinflammation conditions because NNK is also present in the smoke itself. Smoke-filled air indoors may contain up to 26 nanograms of NNK, and concentrations of NNK in tobacco can vary from 20-310 nanograms. This means that both direct and second-hand smoking can lead to substantial measures of NNK intake.

“This research sheds light on the processes that lead to nerve cell damage in those who smoke cigarettes or consume tobacco products on regular basis,” said Ghosh.

Tags: brain on drugs, tobacco, Types of Addiction