BDNF and nicotine dependence: associations and potential mechanisms.

摘要: Smoking is the leading preventable cause of death worldwide and tobacco addiction has become a serious public health problem. Nicotine main addictive component tobacco, majority people that smoke regularly develop nicotine dependence. deemed to be chronic mental disorder. Although it well known binds nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) activates mesolimbic dopaminergic system (MDS) generate pleasant rewarding effects, molecular mechanisms are not fully understood. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) most prevalent growth in brain, which regulates neuron survival, differentiation, synaptic plasticity, mainly through binding high affinity receptor tyrosine kinase B (TrkB). BDNF gene polymorphisms associated with dependence blood levels altered smokers. In this review, we discussed effects on expression brain summarized underlying signaling pathways, further indicated as key regulator Further studies aim understand neurobiological mechanism addcition would provide valuable reference for quitting smoking developing treatment other substances.