By Robert Preidt
HealthDay reporter
FRIDAY, Aug 6, 2021 (HealthDay News) – A kind of “zap” on the brain – a technique called non-invasive brain stimulation – may help hardcore smokers limit themselves, new research suggests.
Nicotine can trigger changes in the brain that make it difficult to quit. Therefore, researchers have been looking for ways to use non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques to combat abnormal brain activity caused by nicotine addiction.
In this review, the researchers analyzed 12 studies using different NIBS methods in a total of 710 nicotine addicts.
Several techniques showed promising results, but high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of an area of the brain involved in memory and decision-making was associated with the greatest reduction in the number of cigarettes smoked daily.
None of the NIBS techniques studied appeared to reduce the severity of craving or dependence on nicotine.
According to study author Dr. Cheng-Ta Li of Taipei Veterans General Hospital in Taiwan and his colleagues may NIBS increase dopamine release and balance the brain’s reward system and help smokers deal with cravings and withdrawal symptoms.
The results were published in Addiction magazine on August 4th.
Li and his team found that the drop-out rates among participants who underwent any of the NIBS methods were not significantly different from the control groups. That suggests these treatments are well tolerated, the researchers said in a press release.
Nicotine affects the release of neurotransmitters in the brain, increases brain activity, and increases the release of dopamine. Higher dopamine levels make smokers feel more comfortable, according to the authors.
Long-term exposure to nicotine causes the brain to produce more receptors to handle the increased brain activity. When a smoker tries to quit and nicotine levels drop, a decrease in activity in the brain’s reward system leads to withdrawal symptoms that make it difficult to cut back or quit smoking.
More information
The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers a guide to smoking cessation.
SOURCE: Addiction, press release, August 4, 2021
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