Ovisnost o nikotinu i shizofrenija

undergraduate thesis

• Title (english): Nicotine dependence and schizophrenia
• Author: Rebeka Rumbak
• Mentor: Julija Erhardt (mentor)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Science; (Department of Biology); Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2021-08-30, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: NATURAL SCIENCES; Biology

Abstract

Shizofrenija predstavlja ozbiljan psihički poremećaj vrlo teških simptoma. Povijest istraživanja
ove bolesti dovela je do spoznaja o njenoj rasprostranjenosti, etiologiji, interakciji uključenih gena
i okoliša, kao i rizičnim čimbenicima koji povećavaju vjerojatnost razvoja ove bolesti. Usprkos
opisanoj psihopatologiji bolesti, o patogenezi shizofrenije se zna vrlo malo. Istraživanja se aktivno
provode na molekularnoj razini te su predloženi brojni potencijalni molekularni mehanizmi.
Postavljene hipoteze o razvoju bolesti odnose se na razne neurotransmitorske sustave, primarno na
dopaminergički, serotoninergički, kolinergički, i glutamatergični sustav. Unatoč tome, bolest se još
uvijek liječi isključivo simptomatski. Uz različite pristupe liječenju, najučestalija je farmakološka
terapija, no primjena antipsihotika često je popraćena nuspojavama. Među oboljelima od
shizofrenije uz uzimanje drugih supstanci značajnije je izražena prevalencija ovisnosti o nikotinu,
odnosno pušenje cigareta. O uzroku pozitivne korelacije ove dvije bolesti ne zna se mnogo.
Aktualni načini istraživanja primjenjuju komparativni pristup tražeći zajedničke gene i
metaboličke puteve. Osim genetičke predispozicije razvoja ovisnosti o nikotinu, jedno od mogućih
objašnjenja je i hipoteza samoizlječenja. Ona objašnjava korištenje psihoaktivne supstance nikotina
u svrhu olakšavanja negativnih i kognitivnih simptoma, ali i nuspojava antipsihotika. Dakako, bitno
je naglasiti kako prividno pozitivan učinak olakšavanjem simptoma jedne bolesti, ne treba biti
motivacija za razvijanje druge bolesti dugotrajno štetnih posljedica.

Abstract (english)

Schizophrenia is a serious mental disorder with very severe symptoms. The history of
research of this disease has led to insights into its prevalence, etiology, interaction of the involved
genes with the environment, as well as risk factors that increase the likelihood of its development.
Despite the described psychopathology of the disease, very little is known about the pathogenesis
of schizophrenia. Research is being actively conducted at the molecular level and a number of
potential molecular mechanisms have been proposed. The hypotheses about the development of
the disease refer to various neurotransmitter systems, primarily dopaminergic, serotonergic,
cholinergic and glutamatergic systems. Despite this, the disease is still treated exclusively
symptomatically. With different approaches to treatment, pharmacological therapy is the most
common, but the use of antipsychotics is often accompanied by side effects. Among patients with
schizophrenia, in addition to taking other substances, the prevalence of nicotine addiction, ie
cigarette smoking, is significant. Not much is known about the causes of the positive correlation
of these two diseases. Current research methods apply a comparative approach looking for common
genes and metabolic pathways. In addition to the genetic predispositions for the development of
nicotine addiction, one possible explanation is the self-healing hypothesis. It explains the use of
the psychoactive substances nicotine in order to alleviate negative and cognitive symptoms, but
also the side effects of antipsychotics. It is important to emphasize that a seemingly positive effect
of alleviation of the symptoms of one disease, should be no excuse to develop other diseases with
long-term harmful consequences.

• Keywords: shizofrenija; ovisnost; nikotin
• Language: croatian
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:217:851513
• Study programme: Title: Molecular Biology; Study programme type: university; Study level: undergraduate; Academic / professional title: sveučilišni/a prvostupnik/prvostupnica (baccalaureus/baccalaurea) molekularne biologije (sveučilišni/a prvostupnik/prvostupnica (baccalaureus/baccalaurea) molekularne biologije)
• Type of resource: Text
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2021-09-20 12:58:31