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*found in the “solanaceae” family of plants*
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(by binding to ‘nicotinic acetylcholine receptors’ in the brain, ‘nicotine’ elicits its ‘psycho-active effects’ and increases the levels of several ‘neuro-transmitters’ in various brain structures – acting as a sort of ‘volume control’)
(nicotine has a higher affinity for nicotinic receptors in the brain than those in skeletal muscle, though at toxic doses it can induce contractions and respiratory paralysis)
(nicotine’s selectivity is thought to be due to a particular amino acid difference on these receptor subtypes)
(nicotine activates ‘nicotinic receptors (particularly α4β2 nicotinic receptors) on neurons that innervate the ventral tegmental area and within the mesolimbic pathway where it appears to cause the release of dopamine)
(this nicotine-induced dopamine release occurs at least partially through activation of the cholinergic–dopaminergic reward link, which is mediated by the neuropeptide ghrelin in the ventral tegmental area)
(nicotine also appears to activate opioid pathways in the reward system, since naltrexone – an opioid receptor antagonist – blocks nicotine self-administration)
(these actions are largely responsible for the strongly reinforcing effects of nicotine, which often occur in the absence of euphoria; however, mild euphoria from nicotine use can occur in some individuals)
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*’chronic nicotine use’ inhibits ‘class 1 / class 2′ histone deacetylases’ in the ‘striatum’, where this effect plays a role in ‘nicotine addiction’*
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*👨🔬🕵️♀️🙇♀️*SKETCHES*🙇♂️👩🔬🕵️♂️*
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💕💝💖💓🖤💙🖤💙🖤💙🖤❤️💚💛🧡❣️💞💔💘❣️🧡💛💚❤️🖤💜🖤💙🖤💙🖤💗💖💝💘
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*🌈✨ *TABLE OF CONTENTS* ✨🌷*
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🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥*we won the war* 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥