REWIRING OF AMYGDALO-STRITAL CIRCUITS – a neurobiological underpinning of nicotine dependence

There are more smokers in the world than ever before.

The high prevalence is partially due to the addictive properties of nicotine, and less than 10% manage to maintain abstinent despite available smoking cessation treatments.

This project presents new opportunities to address this issue, and to outline novel interventions to reduce smoking prevalence. My research shows that nicotine transforms the brain in a very specific spatio-temporal sequence.

Nicotine not only affects brain regions that establishes the habit to smoke, but also converts emotional circuits to increase anxiety-levels during abstinence.

I hypothesize that these neurophysiological transformations are neurobiological underpinnings of nicotine dependence, and that we by restoring neuronal function can increase smoking cessation.

To monitor the complex nature of nicotine dependence, we have invested considerable resources to establish a laboratory with state-of-the-art techniques that allows us to assess neuroplasticity in parallel to nicotine-taking and cue-induced reinstatement.

We now aim to 1) establish the basis for nicotine-induced neuroadaptations, 2) define their role in nicotine addiction, and 3) outline interventions that can be used to restore neurotransmission and reinstate control over behavior.

If neurophysiological transformations are the basis for nicotine addiction, and we can restore brain function to improve cessation, then this line of research will have an immense societal impact.